Cities in the United States are known globally as being built for the automobile, but this wasn’t always the case. Before WWII, Rochester, like most American cities, had a well-connected street grid that allowed for close-knit communities and easy travel to the downtown area via trolley and bus lines. Following the war, new policies brought many Rochesterians out of the city to newly-created suburbs where they began purchasing automobiles. We explore why cities like Rochester gave up their streets to the automobile to the detriment of pedestrians and cyclists alike.