Are you saying that the causes can't be different from town to town or region to region, or that such actions couldn't be justified and rational in one region, while not justified and irrational in another region?

No, he's saying that "there's more roads so people drive everywhere" is not the blanket scapegoat that many around here make it out out to be.

Can you provide some details? I'm amazed by the idea that there's still a place like this. I'm guessing it's a relatively small town pretty far from any major urban centers?

I'm curious why you're amazed at this notion. Surely the vast majority of towns have not been significantly urbanized or had significant road changes in the last thirty years.

My home town in the UK hasn't substantially changed since I was growing up. There's a few junctions which have changed, but no major new roads.

I think this is a distinct difference in culture though. Over here its still the norm for kids to walk to school by themselves from the age of eight or nine, and once they reach secondary school to travel relatively long distances either by foot or public transport. I think there has been a drop in the number of primary school kids playing outside by themselves, but I have a feeling I had a less regimented childhood than many of my friends as a result of living on a quiet road.

I'm not sure you're right. We live in a fairly compact city community, quite suburban but close to town. The primary school doesn't allow children to leave unaccompanied until Y5/Y6 (9-11yo). It's c. 50% that then do walk.

In contrast older children are expected to walk 3 miles before they get transport cost assistance. Regardless of the social dangers of the route.

Not in my experience. I've lived in a variety of places in my life, one specific cross-section of America: from farm towns and small-to-medium cities in the midwest to major urban areas including New York, DC, and Chicago. Basically everywhere I've known for more than a few years has had some measure of road building. Perhaps other parts of the US haven't seen the same trend?

I'm not talking about "significant urbanization", but I definitely am talking about suburbanization, which is a pox that affects the whole country, as far as I know.