This might be the most hated idea on Nextdoor. You could probably convince those city council meeting enthusiasts to double property taxes before they'll agree to road closures in favor of pedestrians and cyclists

I think it depends. Arbitrary road closures and bike lanes may not be popular, but on high streets where it's mostly shops it's a different story.

Its popularity would depend on if you poll the people who use the road but don't live there, and those who live there but don't use the road.

What about the people that live there and use the road? A car is something luxurious and yet also something a lot of people are dependent on by now. I technically wouldn't need one since my workplace is very near, but that isn't the reality for most people. There also is no Uber outpatient care and many people have responsibilities outside their nearest starbucks. You won't "solve" the need for individual traffic with a sidewalk, that is just the reality of the situation.

I live in a city with a car free city core. Of course we have more cars today than before the change around 20 years ago.

High streets aren't necessary for transportation.

There is no need to travel specifically along those roads if there are a dozen others to chose from.

I doesn't matter that much if they live there or not, and they're are not going to care that much as long as there are roads they can use.

There are very, very few specific roads that individuals have some kind of attachment to.

They close my high street to traffic in summer and it makes 0 difference to traffic. We're talking less than 0.1% of roadway.

This exact impasse is why America will never be more like Europe.