> Another issue with grid street neighborhoods is that many don't like thru traffic and noise. Thus the dead-end cul-de-sacs that many academics hate are loved by residents who prefer the reduced car noise and extra privacy.

Those cul-de-sacs funnel all the traffic onto feeder streets, and of course all of the services are on the feeder streets. So while the dead ends and crescents are quiet, I don't walk there, I walk to the services and have to put up with much more traffic and noise than I would in a grid setup.