> The famously flat Dutch terrain, combined with densely-populated areas, mean that most journeys are of short duration and not too difficult to complete.

The problem in the US is, in no small part, due to zoning. I've been making my way through this:

http://amzn.to/2tkSbsH - "Zoned in the USA"

And the detailed look at how other countries do things is interesting - they're certainly no "libertopia", but far more typologies of housing are allowed, as well as commercial uses in primarily residential areas.

It's worth a look for those who are deeply interested in the topic.

I actually have quite a collection of articles about this stuff, as it's been one of my main interests lately:

https://bendyimby.com/2017/06/12/yimby-reading/