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And yet, European cities exist and are fine without wide streets.

Keep in mind that Europeans tend to build with stone / bricks, and Americans tend to build with wood.

Lots of safety regulations stem from that divide. Wood is a bit more flammable.

(I'm not saying the difference in safety regulations still make sense today. I'm talking about one of the historical origins of the divide.)

In the north of Europe it is mostly wood

Houses are still less likely to be build from wood than in the US.

apartment buildings are made from prefabricated concrete elements though