FARMINGTON -- Farmington City Council on Jan. 9 adopted an ordinance, with an emergency clause, to establish connectivity provisions into the city's street standards ordinance.
Farmington Planning Commission has discussed requiring connectivity for residential and commercial developments during the past year and recommended the council adopt the new standards.
City engineer Chris Brackett with KMS Engineering Integrity told council members the city has been requiring connectivity for years, even though it did not have an ordinance to back this up.
"No one really questions about it but if they did we wouldn't have a leg to stand on," Brackett said.
Most cities in Northwest Arkansas require connectivity and it's a good idea as a traffic management tool, Brackett said.
"You really want connectivity so minor streets connect between developments and people don't have to get out on the bigger streets. There's a lot of verbiage to it but that's the essence of it," Brackett said.
According to the ordinance, the purpose of connectivity is to support the creation of a transportation system within the city to provide choices for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, promote walking and biking, connect neighborhoods to each other and other local destinations, reduce travel time and reduce emergency response times.