And the reason for this shift was sprawl. Northwest suburbs overtook towns in population in the 1960s. They passed cities in the 1970s, and exceeded rural areas in the 1980s. Per person, suburban dwellers drive three times as far as those who live in pedestrian-friendly urban neighborhoods such as the West End. Price's concern is not to fight cars but to fight auto dependence.
Cities are the solution.
It is simply a place where things are close enough together that rubber soles transport people better than steel-belted radials do. Price answers most questions about automobiles by discussing the minutiae of architecture and urban design. Good design, Price contends, can create a public realm that is safe, inviting, and conducive to community. Bad design creates a menacing and sterile public realm. The West End is a model of good design, and Price is happy to show it off.