Culdesac

Culdesac, typically written cul-de-sac or cul de sac, refers to a street that is closed at one end and ends in a turnaround area. The term comes from the French phrase cul de sac, meaning bottom of the bag, and it entered English usage several centuries ago. In modern urban planning, cul-de-sacs are common in residential developments because they can reduce through traffic, increase privacy, and create a quieter street environment.

Design and planning considerations surrounding cul-de-sacs include trade-offs between safety and permeability. Proponents emphasize lowered traffic speeds, enhanced curb appeal, and easier supervision of children at play. Critics point out that such street layouts can limit pedestrian and cyclist connectivity, lengthen walking routes to services, and complicate emergency access. Many planners address these drawbacks by combining cul-de-sacs with interconnected street networks, shared walkways, or limited-through routes to preserve some level of permeability while maintaining local access.

Culdesac is also used as a place name. There is a small city named Culdesac in Idaho, United States. In broader usage, the term frequently appears in cultural and descriptive contexts as a metaphor for dead ends or impasses. As a geographic name, architectural term, or metaphor, cul-de-sac reflects how a single concept can span planning, geography, and language.