A Cul-de-Sac is more than just a fancy word for a dead-end street.
The term is French and originates from the etymology meaning “bottom of a sack”, writes Matt Christensen via realtor.com. Beyond that, it’s the end of a street that’s rounded and is a haven for families or folks who hate traffic and gravitate toward the cozier, more quiet side of suburbia.Cul-de-Sacs came to be as a form of self-defense residential planning by Athenian and Roman to trap enemies who invaded their territories, which obviously wasn’t a concern by 1875 in England, which banned the construction of cul-de-sacs, who deemed them too annoying for residents to navigate. They were later re-legalized in 1906, writes Christensen, via the Hampstead Garden Suburb Act because people saw the benefits for families and their children.
But what do we know about Cul-de-Sac life today?
Much of the same, it appears!
According to Realtor.com, a study by the University of California has found that children living in cul-de-sacs played outdoors longer, while another study by Duke found that cul-de-sacs deter crime.
Another study samples 89 crimes committed in 2012; 74 of the crimes happened on properties located on two-way streets – nearly five times as many crimes committed in cul-de-sac neighborhoods, according to realtor.com.
Source: http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/why-do-we-have-cul-de-sacs/?iid=rdc_news_hp_carousel_theLatest ,