The suburban ones you're thinking of are actually too low density for that solution to work. A more Japanese approach (as mentioned several other times on HN w

The suburban ones you're thinking of are actually too low density for that solution to work. A more Japanese approach (as mentioned several other times on HN within the last year and probably more before that), is roughly to zone by the 'nuisance impact' and also to plan local commutes along slopes of density (nuisance). So you can have a mixed commercial / high density residential district around the transit hub, and a casually walkable (for fit adults/kids) commute from there to lower density housing.