Transportation and Public Health: The many benefits of active and public transportation that are overlooked in conventional planning | VTPI

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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 walking and cycling activity) and the additional crashes and pollution caused by
increased vehicle mileage. As a result, transport agencies tend to undervalue strategies that increase transport system diversity and reduce vehicle travel. This article identifies various win-win strategies that can help improve public health and other planning objectives.

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Transportation and Public Health: The many benefits of active and public transportation that are overlooked in conventional planning | VTPI

MoBikeFed comment: This article outlines in well-researched detail nearly all of the reasons that the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation works for better, safer bicycling and walking across Missouri.

Unfortunately, many who set transportation policy and priorities are unaware of the full scope of the benefits and the extensive research behind them. This article helps to put the full picture together--why and how our entire society benefits when we put more of our funding and priorities into active transportation, like bicycling, walking, and public transit.