Public Health

Economic Value of Walkability

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This paper describes ways to evaluate the value of walking (the activity) and walkability (the quality of walking conditions, including safety, comfort and convenience). Walking and walkability provide a variety of benefits, including basic mobility, consumer cost savings, cost savings (reduced external costs), efficient land use, community livability, improved fitness and public health, economic development, … Continued

Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2016 Benchmarking Report

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The report collects and analyzes data from all 50 states, the 50 most populous U.S. cities, and 18 additional cities of various sizes. It traces the rise of walking and biking and explores the intersections between transportation, health, economics, equity, government funding, advocacy efforts — and much more.

Transportation and Public Health

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This article investigates various ways that transportation policy and planning decisions affect public health and better ways to incorporate public health objectives into transport planning. Conventional planning tends to consider some public health impacts, such as crash risk and pollution emissions measured per vehicle-kilometer, but generally ignores health problems resulting from less active transport (reduced … Continued

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits

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This report investigates ways that public transportation affects human health, and ways to incorporate these impacts into transport policy and planning decisions. This research indicates that public transit improvements and more transit oriented development can provide large but often overlooked health benefits. People who live or work in communities with high quality public transport tend … Continued

Creating Equitable, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities: Strategies for Advancing Smart Growth, Environmental Justice, and Equitable Development

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This publication highlights strategies and approaches that link smart growth, environmental justice, and equitable development. In Chapter 3, these strategies and approaches are grouped under seven common themes that unite the three concepts. The fundamental overlap between smart growth, environmental justice, and equitable development is how to plan and build neighborhoods to address environmental, health, … Continued

Transit Oriented Development that’s Healthy, Green and Just

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Transit Oriented Development that’s Healthy, Green and Just asks a basic question about Puget Sound’s new light rail system – how do we ensure this massive public investment benefits all families? In Southeast Seattle neighborhoods the light rail has already accelerated gentrification and may lead to displacement of many communities of color into the suburbs. … Continued