Why do urban areas want to increase density? What are the more distant areas doing to compensate the urban areas for their sacrifice? Dense living isn't better living. Maybe for some folks, but not for many. That's not a house and a yard and a family and all that. You may look down upon "car dependent" living, but it led to people being able to have that house and yard. It's not a coincidence that people fled the cities once cars became readily available. People didn't want to live that way.