Important caveats to your point: 1. Most US cities predate the automobile, and nearly every city freeway involved bulldozing existing homes and neighborhoods.

Important caveats to your point: 1. Most US cities predate the automobile, and nearly every city freeway involved bulldozing existing homes and neighborhoods. 2. Places like the Netherlands also went car-heavy as they rebuilt after the world wars. Instead, more recent policies have made redevelopment to bicycle and people friendly streets possible. 3. A nice boulevard with space for trams, bicyclists, pedestrians, and cars is not narrow. My overall point is that specific development policies cause the biggest differences between North America and, say, Europe. Not the specific geography and existing layout of the cities. (Though it certainly makes a difference, there are plenty of old European cities that aren’t nearly as people-friendly as Amsterdam because of their car-friendly policies)