Recent spikes in gas prices expose a fragile system that financially strains car-dependent households. When prices rise, however, people adapt in surprising ways, especially when they have reliable options. Transportation leaders can seize this moment to take steps toward reducing car dependency and building systems that are resilient by providing more affordable travel choices before the next disruption occurs or if the current trends continue.
walkability
Roads less traveled: the safety surprises of big cities
The most effective way to stay safe on city streets is remarkably simple: drive less. A new report from StreetLight Data suggests that the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is the single most important factor in determining how safe a city’s streets are for everyone. Risk is not solely caused by bad drivers; daily driving habits and city layouts play a significant role as well. With U.S. crashes resulting in 2.4 million injuries or deaths in 2023, one of the best safety strategies for planners and engineers is to help people spend less time behind the wheel of a car by making walking, biking, and transit easier to use.
A transportation system that works for grandma benefits everyone
Designing for “all ages and abilities,” – meaning accessible curb ramps, bus stops, and safe bike paths – is not new to most transportation professionals. But meeting the needs of aging Baby Boomers will take a more systemic approach to building for all ages and abilities. Living in places with more developed and reliable transit and sidewalk networks where goods and services are close by is good for seniors, and for everyone else.
More transit means safer streets
To reduce traffic deaths, public transit should be seen as a core part of safety infrastructure, not just an alternative mode of travel. Every day, thousands of car crashes occur in the U.S., resulting in injury or death, yet they receive far less attention than the much rarer crashes involving public transit. For city planners working to reduce roadway fatalities, understanding how these perceptions influence travel choices is critical.
Emotional perceptions can be a tool for predicting street safety
How a street feels can matter just as much as how it’s physically built. A new study shows that emotional perceptions about whether a street seems inviting, secure, or rundown can help explain safety for people walking or biking—a reminder that planners should think beyond conventional design standards. Road designers should also consider the character and aesthetics of the spaces they create.
For better mental health, researchers recommend walking and biking
Staying grounded and mentally fit can be challenging these days. While some people turn to meditation or self-medication, a large and growing body of research points to a simpler solution: walkable neighborhoods and bike-friendly streets. Not only can they improve physical health, but they also offer meaningful benefits to our social and emotional well-being. As we’ve noted, extended periods driving can have the opposite effect.
Mixed land uses play an important role in social cohesion
Mixed land uses are associated with greater social cohesion, according to a new study. Dense places without diversity, however, can have the opposite effect. As walkable cities become a growing focus of urban planning and decision making, the social impacts on health, vibrancy, and social cohesion are often harder to quantify. The authors use open-source data to quantify and find correlations between urban infrastructure and form types with social cohesion. Understanding these relationships offers insights into the future of urban planning and decision making that balances density, diversity, and community connection.
Dog owners drive more, but policy and design changes could help lessen the need
We all can identify a walkable neighborhood, whether we live in one or know what we expect to see in one: good sidewalks, connectivity to surrounding areas, and many destinations. But new research suggests those considerations might be significantly different for dog owners. Since more than one third of households own dogs, complexity is thrown into concepts like the “15-minute city” or cities designed for all age groups and abilities.
Neighborhood walkability and residential preferences in midsized cities
Many studies have established a significant relationship between walkable neighborhoods and impacts on health and travel behaviors. In the past, most of these studies were based on large metropolitan areas with significant variability in built environment and residential options. A recent study examined relationships between residential preferences, neighborhood walkability, and health implications in a Canadian midsized-city. And, the findings are substantially different from those of similar studies done in large metropolitan areas.
Quantifying the quality and connectivity of sidewalks: walking accessibility indices
With the constant rise in obesity numbers and health concerns, planners and designers around the world are trying to bring back physical activity in day-to-day commuting behavior. Addressing health concerns through active transportation solutions not only brings us a step closer to a healthier community, but is also cost effective. Improving walking access to public transit stations is one such solution and was the theme of a paper published in the May issue of ITE journal.