Providing a strong connected network of roads and pedestrian facilities can help distribute traffic, reduce travel distances and times, improve routing for transit and reduce walking distances.  Good connectivity also provides better routing opportunities for emergency and delivery (solid waste, recycling, mail) vehicles.  All of these effects can play a positive role in reducing congestion on the street network. 

Connectivity is achieved by providing connections within individual developments, between developments and by having a well planned collector road network to compliment the arterial highway network.  Connectivity of an area can be measured using a connectivity index – commonly defined as the ratio of links to nodes.  To achieve network connectivity, one guideline is to have arterials spaced approximately ½ mile apart and collectors every ¼ mile.