Zijstraten
Zijstraten, Dutch for side streets, are secondary streets within urban networks that run alongside or between main thoroughfares. They provide access to residential blocks, local businesses, and public spaces, and help distribute traffic away from arterial roads.
In street hierarchy, zijstraten complement hoofdstraten by absorbing local trips, enabling neighborhood circulation, and contributing to
Urban planning uses zijstraten to create livable neighborhoods. Measures such as traffic calming, one-way restrictions, bollards,
Historically, zijstraten developed as towns expanded and roads evolved from medieval paths into modern grids. In
See also: street network, traffic calming, pedestrian zones, urban design, Netherlands urban planning.