Livable streets

Originally published in 1981, 'Livable Streets' by Donald Appleyard presents research from the late 1960s comparing three residential streets in San Francisco with varying traffic volumes.

Appleyard demonstrated that higher traffic levels reduce social interactions, neighborhood friendliness, and residents' sense of home territory.

The book argues for street designs that prioritize people over cars to create safer, more sociable, and livable urban environments.

The work has been influential in urban planning and has been revisited and expanded by his son Bruce Appleyard in recent editions to address contemporary urban challenges.