Originally Posted by
TimothyH
Subdivisions is part of the answer.
Subdivisions have only one way in or out require the use of arterial routes or busy highways to get to stores, schools, churches, parks or other subdivisions.
It is a modern phenomena which has replaced the idea of interconnected neighborhoods and given rise to things like the minivan, and the lines which you mention. There's no way for kids to get to a friend's house without parents driving them and police don't even cruise residential areas any longer.
-Tim-
I think so too. Our suburbs, at least around here, have obviously been designed around the concept of using a car to go everywhere. We are slowly developing a network of multi use trails, but many of them are poorly designed for functional uses like shopping or going to school.