The War on Cars The Importance of Livable Streets with Bruce Appleyard
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Jan 20, 2026 In this engaging discussion, Bruce Appleyard, a renowned Professor of Urban Design, shares insights from his book Livable Streets 2.0. He explores how street design can enhance or diminish social ties, particularly emphasizing the detrimental effects of car-centric infrastructure on children's mobility. Bruce reveals intriguing findings that lighter traffic fosters community while heavy traffic isolates. He also highlights the importance of creating nurturing environments through thoughtful street design and encourages listeners to advocate for livable changes in their neighborhoods.
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Personal Trauma Shaped A Career
- Bruce Appleyard recounts being hit by a car at age four and later discovering his father's research stemmed from that trauma.
- His father Donald Appleyard was later killed by a drunk driver, bookending the family's experience with traffic violence.
Traffic Tearing Social Fabric
- Donald Appleyard's study compared similar San Francisco streets with light, medium, and heavy traffic to measure social ties.
- He found light-traffic streets had three times as many friends and twice as many acquaintances as heavy-traffic streets.
Traffic Drives Demographic Shifts
- Heavier traffic displaces residents who can move and isolates those who remain, worsening loneliness and social desolation.
- Older people and women, especially those with less mobility, suffer disproportionate social isolation on busy streets.
