University of Nizwa / Department of Architecture / Fall 2015-16

STREET PATTERN
Definitions
As per dictionary - Street has its origins in the Latin strata (meaning "paved road"). Its original use, in
Old English applied the word to Roman roads such as Ermin Street, Watling Street, etc. Later it acquired
a dialectical meaning of "straggling village", which were often laid out on the verges of Roman Roads. In
the middle ages, a road was a way people travelled, with ""street"" applied specifically to paved ways.
Wikipedia - A Street is a public thoroughfare in the built environment. It is a public parcel of land
adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about.
A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable surface such
as concrete, cobblestone or brick. Portions may also be smoothed with asphalt, embedded with rails, or
otherwise prepared to accommodate non-pedestrian traffic. The word “street” is still sometimes used
colloquially as a synonym for “road,” but city residents and urban planners draw a crucial modern
distinction: a road's main function is transportation, while streets facilitate public interaction. Examples of
streets include pedestrian streets, alleys, and city-centre streets too crowded for road vehicles to pass.
Conversely, highways and motorways are types of roads, but few would refer to them as streets.

History of roads
Roads originated for economic reasons, related to the need to move food and other goods from one point
to another. Early transportation focused on moving food from a hunt or a harvest to the places where
people lived. Trails evolved from prehistoric animal paths, and early humans carried or dragged their
loads along these paths. As humans learned to domesticate animals, they transferred their loads to pack
animals, such as horses, mules, camels, llamas, elephants, and dogs.
The discovery and use of the wheel was undoubtedly a driving force in building and improving roads.
Crude roads were in use in Mesopotamia in about 3000 BC. Italy was connected to Denmark by a
roadway as early as 2000 BC. During the period from 1900 to 300 BC, four trade routes, known as amber
roads, ran across central and eastern Europe. Amber was an important ingredient in primitive and
medieval medicine and was also used for statuary and jewelry. One of the first preplanned roads was the
Persian Royal Road, built by Darius I in 500 BC in what is now Iran. The Royal Road was about 2,400
km long and stretched throughout ancient Persia. The road was constructed for royal use, and it allowed
Darius to keep informed, to convey orders, and to transport goods needed by the royal court. The road
followed the shortest and most efficient route.
It bypassed some of the largest towns—in part, for the sake of following the shortest route, but also
because large towns had the potential to rebel. An uprising in a town near the road could have threatened
the security of the route or prevented troops from being dispatched.
The Chinese Silk Road, established around 100 BC, was a series of land routes connecting ancient Rome
and China. Caravans of traders traveled the Silk Road, exchanging goods and ideas. The road extended
about 6000 km.

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Street pattern concept

Street Patterns are classified into four major types.

A. Gridiron –
Streets arranged in grid form, generally used for intensive
development where every spot has equal importance. It is
economical in both plot division and infrastructural cost. But the
disadvantage remains in that most of the time it looses character

B. Radial Pattern –
Streets stretched radial from a certain node. Most of the time the
development follows the streets and the city will have a star like
shape. This pattern gives high emphasis to its origin finally
forming the city center. The disadvantage of this arrangement is
that the radius increases the communication decreases and hence
efficiency will not be attained.

C. Radio-centric Pattern
This is a combination of a radial and a centralized arrangement. It
is better than a radial arrangement since concentric streets are
applied as the radius increases. It is typical for cities on hill top
like the Greek Athens.

D. Irregular Pattern
This is an irregular arrangement of streets. It is common in
spontaneous developed organic cities. This arrangement is difficult
for the provision of infrastructure and efficiency. But it has a good
potential in creating different images in different parts of the city.

Hierarchy and types of Streets

1 - Major Arterial –
These streets are used primarily to carry the heavier traffic pattern providing continuity throughout the
contiguous urban area. Access control will be maintained towards limiting access to intersections with
other roads. Right-of-way width 25 – 40 meter
2 - Minor Arterial –
A street used primarily for intersections of sections of the City and deemed desirable for construction of
other public utilities within the street right of way. Right-of-way width 25 – 40 meter

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3 - Collector –
A Street used primarily to provide ready collection of traffic from residential areas and to convey this
traffic to the major arterial and highway system. Even though this street may carry some through traffic,
its primary function is to feed traffic to the arterial streets and to provide local access. Right-of-way width
20 – 25 meter
4 - Local Streets –
The primary function is to serve adjoining property. They shall be arranged to conform to the topography,
to discourage use by through traffic and provide access to abutting property. Right-of-way width 12 – 20
meter
5 – Alleys –
Primarily used for vehicular service access to the back or the side of properties otherwise
abutting on a street.

PARKING
Introduction
 Parking provision in relation to plot size, function and size of a building and road capacity
considerations will be analyzed. The standards help determine if sufficient parking spaces are
provided to match the number of cars in operation and serve provide a “guideline” if car parking
spaces are provided with proper or adequate spaces.
 In urban design, planning policies and strategies have to look for an effective transport system, and
stress on the need to manage demand and reduce the need to travel.
 First and foremost, parking structures, either basement, structured, or surface, must provide for the
safe and efficient passage of automobiles as well as visitors to and from their vehicles.
Types of car spaces
1. Sunken car spaces, 7. Intermediate floors,
2. surface car spaces, 8. off-street parking,
3. basement parking, 9. on-street parking,
4. combo – parking, 10. Middle street parking,
5. roof parking, 11. courtyard parking,
6. car parking buildings, 12. side parking
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Parking basic considerations

Off-street parking is provided at the time of erection of any building or structure. Aside from the standard
space requirements mentioned above, several points should be considered when providing off-street
parking. Among those the most important considerations are listed below.
A. Access to Parking Spaces –
All parking spaces must have convenient ingress and egress. Access lanes shall be clear and specifically
delineated as necessary. The parking space shall be designed so that the total process of entering and
leaving a parking space shall be accomplished in no more movements than two forward and one reverse.
No backing maneuver from a parking stall shall conflict or block the public street driveway approach.
B. Traffic Circulation Signing and Markings –
Directional signs and arrows and appropriate pavement marking must be installed to control the direction
of traffic flow.
C. Surface Requirements –
All parking areas must be surfaced in accordance to the Standards.

D. Delineation of Parking Spaces –

All parking spaces shall be delineated by appropriate fixed curbing, painted lines.

E. Aesthetics –
The surface parking lot should not dominate the building site.

F. Functional / Operational –
Parking areas should be functional and always operational.

G. Physical Barriers –
Fixed physical barriers must be installed to protect public and private property adjacent to the parking
facility as well as buildings.
H. Maintenance of Parking Facilities and Equipment
The parking space should be good maintained to insure safe pedestrian movement, vehicular operation,
adequate protection of adjoining properties, and to present a neat and attractive appearance of the facility.
I. Lighting –
A lighting system must be installed on all off-street parking areas. This lighting system shall be designed
to produce a minimum maintained average light level.
J. Signage and Way finding –
Signage should indicate all major internal pedestrian access points as well as external major roads and
buildings. In surface parking lots, pavement markings are reflective paint and traffic control signage is
usually reflective metal.
K. Safety & Security
Surface parking is located such that unsecured parking areas are visible from adjacent buildings and
safely illuminated. Cameras and parking booths can provide added security by including site surveillance
and limiting vehicular access control.

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L. Sustainable –
Typical site improvements directly related to the surface parking include ground cover and planting,
storm water handling systems, vehicle parking surfaces and roadways, sidewalks directly abutting parking
areas, lighting within the parking area, signage, and fences and screens around the parking and buffer
zones between parking and public areas.
M. Landscaping and Storm Water Management –
Landscaping elements such as berms, walls, and indigenous hedges and trees are usually used to screen
the periphery of the surface parking lot. Intermediate islands within the surface parking provide
opportunities to plant native and/or adapted trees, which can provide shade in pedestrian walkways. Also,
low impact development strategies, such as bio retention cells, should be incorporated into the surface
parking design to maximize on-site infiltration of storm water.

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