Active Transportation Choices and Health in Toronto

Road to Health: Improving Walking and Cycling in Toronto (109 page pdf, Toronto Public Health, April 2012) Today, we look at a report on Toronto that examines how walking and cycling as active transportation modes benefit health and how much more improvement could be achieved if both forms were optimized. Estimated benefits are over 129 [...]

How Expensive are Roads Built only for Cars?

Combating the Myth That Complete Streets Are Too Expensive (Tanya Snyder, World Streets DC, Dec. 8, 2011) Today, we look at reasons to build streets for uses other than driving (such as cycling and walking) and find that this is not only economical but also adds to the overall quality of life for cities that [...]

The Health Benefits of Cycling’s Impact on Air Quality

Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the Midwestern United States (39 page pdf, Maggie L. Grabow, Scott N. Spak, Tracey Holloway,Brian Stone Jr., Adam C. Mednick, Jonathan A. Patz, Environmental Health Perspectives, Nov. 2, 2011) We all know that cycling is good for one’s fitness, as well as providing an [...]

Health Risks with Cycling near Traffic

Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Acute Changes in Heart Rate Variability and Respiratory Function in Urban Cyclists (6 page pdf, Scott Weichenthal, Ryan Kulka, Aimee Dubeau, Christina Martin, Daniel Wang, Robert Dales, Environ Health Perspect, Oct. 2011) Today’s review article looks at the health risks for cyclists exposed to high and low levels of traffic along [...]

Why do People Drive to Work?

How and why do people commute by car? A mixed-methods investigation ( Abstract, A Goodman, J Panter, C Guell, D Ogilvie, J Epidemiol Community Health, Sep. 14, 2011) Today’s review is interesting because it looks at why people chose to drive a car to work. The results indicate that the decision is strongly influenced by [...]

The Pain of Commuting

IBM 2011 Global Commuter Pain Survey (9 page pdf, IBM, Sep. 8, 2011) In many cities, vehicle emissions is a major contributer to urban air pollution and the choices commuters make in their choice of transportation mode has a major impact on the resulting air quality. Today we review the 4th annual world survey of [...]

The Health Benefits of Cycling

The health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use: health impact assessment study ( 8 page pdf, David Rojas-Rueda, Audrey de Nazelle, Marko Tainio, Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen, British Medical Journal (BMJ), Aug. 4, 2011) Today’s focus is on a biking initiative in Barcelona which attracted 11% of the population and [...]

Why More and Safer Bike Paths Make Sense

The Bicycle Dividend (Nancy Folbre, Economix, New York Times, Jul. 4, 2011) We return to a focus today to the benefits of cycling, on the one hand, compared to the high costs to society of driving cars. To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Why Are Some Cities Safer for Cycling?

Evidence on Why Bike-Friendly Cities Are Safer for All Road Users (12 page pdf, Wesley E. Marshall, Norman W. Garrick, Environmental Practice, March 2011) Today’s review article – safety for cyclists- is quite timely for this blogger who lives in the first city in Canada’s largest province to get segregated bike lanes (opened July 10), [...]

Why Pedestrians are a Priority in Europe – and not so much in North America

Europe Stifles Drivers in Favor of Alternatives(Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York Times, Jun. 27, 2011) The focus of today’s review is a discussion about changes taking place in many European cities that put the convenience of pedestrians higher than that of drivers. The result is that much fewer households see a need for – or even [...]

Analysing Transportation Options in New York City

Meet the BTA (35 page pdf slideshow, Jul. 22, 2009)   Today’s review is of a sophisticated spreadsheet developed by Charles Komanoff to model the impact of various congestion pricing schemes in New York City with time varying rates on such outputs as revenue gains and losses (as shown below), impact on traffic volumes, vehicle [...]

Does Cycling in Bad Air Outweigh the Benefits of Exercise?

Cycling: Health Benefits and Risks (1 page pdf, Panis LI, Environ Health Perspect, March 1, 2011) A new look at and discussion about cycling and its positive benefits, such as fitness and Life Expectancy (LE), and negative factors, such as injury from accidents and impacts from air pollution, is the focus of today’s review. For [...]

Road Diet- putting a curb on roads

Image via Wikipedia Road Diets Fixing the Big Roads (15 page pdf, Walkable Communities, Inc. March 1999) Also discussed here: Applying the Road Diet for Livable Communities (20 slides, ITE, 2005) And here Summary Report: Evaluation of Lane Reduction “Road Diet” Measures and Their Effects on Crashes and Injuries(6 page pdf, Highway Safety Information System, [...]

London’s Cycle Superhighways

Barclays Cycle Superhighways: Frequently asked questions (22 page pdf, Transport for London, 2010) Also discussed here: London’s Bicycle Superhighway Opens Today! (Inhabitat, July 19, 2010) One key way of reducing vehicle emissions comes from shifting the choice for commuting from cars to bikes. This has been encouraged in cities such as Paris, New York, Montreal, [...]

Sharing Transportation and Mobility

Image via Wikipedia Sharing: Strategy for a Small Planet (World Streets, Sept. 27, 2010) Also discussed here: World Share/Transport Forum: Kaohsiung 2010 – The Third Way of Getting Around in Cities (Kaohsiung. 16 – 19 September 2010) The article in focus today is the introductory speech by well known mobility expert and commentator, Eric Britton, [...]

Designing a High Quality Street

Paved with gold – The real value of good street design (35 page pdf, CABE, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, 2007) The report being reviewed today examined the key factors that make for high quality streets which in turn make for sustainable urban areas that promote walking and cycling, as well as 5% [...]

Designing Streets for People not just for Cars

Journal of World Transport Policy and Practice(72 page pdf, Volume 16. Number 1, May 2010) Also discussed here: World Transport Policy & Practice – Vol. 16, No. 2(World /Streets, Aug. 31, 2010) And here: Manual for Streets(146 page pdf, UK Dept. of Transport, 2010) And here: Byward Market Pedestrian Area(Pollution Free Cities, Oct.2, 2009) As [...]

Smarter Choices for Less Car Use

The Effects of Smarter Choice Programmes in the Sustainable Travel Towns: Summary Report (55 page pdf, Transport for Quality of Life Ltd, Feb, 2010) The study reviewed today has some very interesting statistics on the results of a “Smarter Choice” program implemented in three UK towns to reduce car use. The greatest reductions came from [...]

What’s Safer and Healthier- Cycling or Driving?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife Do The Health Benefits Of Cycling Outweigh The Risks? (40 page pdf, Environ Health Perspect, 30 June 2010) The article reviewed today attempts to assess the overall health risks and benefits of cycling in Holland – a rare type of comprehensive analysis that is needed for other forms of [...]

Dollar Health Benefits from Cycling

Image via Wikipedia Velo City Conference – Day 3 (Sustainable Cities, June 24, 2010) Copenhagen is getting ready (90 second video on cycling in Copenhagen) The article reviewed today is unusual because, in addition to advocating health benefits for the cyclist, these benefits are expressed in dollar terms which could then be taken into account [...]

BP Spill Strikes Home

How to React to the BP Oil Spill (Ride Solutions, June 17,2010) Also discussed here: boycotting BP? (The Adventures of Ernie Bufflo, June 16, 2010) and here:  Boycott BP! Because it\’s so much better to give your money to Exxon. (Newsweek, June 7, 2010) As today’s article states, while many express anger at BP for [...]

Is Access to Transportation a Basic Human Right?

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Accessibility (Streetsblog, June 11, 2010) Also discussed here: Mobility as a Basic Human Right (Streetsblog, Oct. 23, 2009) And here: Driving is a Privilege; Accessibility is a Right (A Place of Sense, June 11. 2010) The demand for transportation leads one to ask if mobility is a basic human [...]

What Does a Car Really Cost?

How much is that car really costing? You? The rest of us? (World Streets, May 24, 2010) Also discussed here: Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis Techniques, Estimates and Implications (500 page pdf in sections, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Jan.2,  2009) And here: Transportation Cost Analysis Spreadsheet (Excel spreadsheet, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Jan.2, 2009) And [...]

Automobile Dependence and the Future of Roads

Image via Wikipedia The future for roads in 2050 – Australian perspectives on sustainable transportation (World Streets, Apr. 23, 2010) Also discussed here: RESILIENT CITIES – Responding to the Crash, Peak Oil and Climate Change (151 page pdf slideshow, Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University, Australia) And here: Sustainable Urban Transport – Responding to [...]

Car Free Schools – only in Canada, you say?

Milton school forces to students to walk (Spacing Toronto, Mar. 25, 2010) Also discussed here: A One of a Kind Walking, Biking School Opens in Canada (School Transportation News, Jan. 12, 2010) Associated reference: Children & Cities: Planning to Grow Together (24 page pdf, Vanier Institute of the Family,  Oct. 2009) Today’s article is not [...]

Benchmarks for Walking and Cycling

Bicycling and Walking In the United States: 2 0 1 0 Benchmarking Report (196 pages pdf, Alliance for Biking & Walking, 2010) This report from the U.S. examines measurable indicators of walking and cycling, as well as comparison with other countries. Benchmark reports of this type have also been done in Canada in this report: [...]

Exposure of Commuters to Air Pollution

Commuters’ Exposure to Particulate Matter Air Pollution is Affected by Mode of Transport, Fuel Type and Route (35 page pdf, Environ Health Perspect, 25 February 2010) Key Quotes: “The aim of the study was to quantify differences in exposure to air pollutants in traffic compared to simultaneously measured urban background concentrations, and to examine the [...]

Mobility Management and VMT Reduction Options

Are Vehicle Travel Reduction Targets Justified? (31 page pdf, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Dec. 16, 2009) – VMT critics assume that  roadway expansion or more fuel efficient vehicles  will reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality – others point to the need to manage the growth of traffic volume which is directly correlated with VMT [...]

Health Benefits of GHG Emission Reductions-Transit, Cycling, Walking

Public health benefi ts of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: urban land transport Additional discussion here: More Foot Power, Less Car Pollution Best for Health (US News) Key Quotes: “health effects of alternative urban land transport scenarios for two settings—London, UK, and Delhi, India.” “developed separate models that linked transport scenarios with physical activity, air [...]

Getting More Bicyclists on the Road

How to Get More Bicyclists on the Road (Scientific American  - Oct 2009) Key Quotes: “If you want to know if an urban environment supports cycling, you can forget about all the detailed ‘bikeability indexes’—just measure the proportion of cyclists who are female,” ‘In the Netherlands, where 27 percent of all trips are made by [...]

World Health Day 2010 – 1000 cities – 1000 lives

World Health Day 2010 – 1000 cities – 1000 lives (2 page brochure pdf) “On Sunday, April 11th 2010, cities around the world are called on to close their streets to traffic and promote a physical or mental health activity. The global goal is 1000 cities.” WHO Videos World Health Day web site

Tips to Cities about Cycling

A well attended meeting was held recently in Ottawa to hear, Suzanne Lareau,  the head of  Vélo Québec, a well organized advocate for cycling in Montreal for over 40 years. One of the most signficant developments in that city is the free bike scheme, Bixi- Montreal, which offers close to 4,000 bikes from a network [...]

Health benefits of increased cycling infrastructure

Infrastructure, Programs and Policies to Increase Bycycling: An International Review (54 page pdf) Precis: “Most studies of individual interventions found positive, though variable, effects on bicycling.   Case studies show large increases in bicycling results when interventions are implemented as a coordinated package of mutually reinforcing measures.” – has extensive (18 pages) list of references – [...]

Segregated Bike Lanes

StreetFilms.org-The Case for Separated Bike Lanes in NYC ( 8 minYou Tube ) – excellent look at the benefits of giving cyclists some protection when cyclists, pedestrians  and motorists share the road – keeping cyclists safe with segregated lanes and making bikes widely available at low cost – the Bixis in Montreal or the Velibs [...]

Who owns the road in Montreal?

Who owns the road in Montreal? (Montreal Gazette) Key quotes: “With 560 kilometres of designated bike lanes built or under construction on the island, Montreal is ahead of the pack among North American cities” Note- Ottawa currently (2008) has 541 km of bike paths, including 258 km off-road paths and is planning on over 2,500 [...]

Twenty is plenty

Twenty is plenty Key Quotes: “A pedestrian hit by a car at 40 mph has a 95% chance of being killed, at 30 mph this becomes 50% and at 20 mph it becomes 5%.” “Most child pedestrian road deaths would be averted if people drove at 20mph in side streets. As few places are more [...]

Velib Public Bicycles in Paris

Velib Public Bicycles in Paris (video) –We look at the Velib public bicycle system in Paris with Eric Britton of New Mobility Partnerships. This is the second half of “Perils For Pedestrians” Episod … – an interesting interview with one of the leaders of the bike share program in Paris- and how this combines with [...]

Better air quality: How Utrecht takes action

Source: http://www.cities-for-mobility.net/index.php? option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=190&Itemid=131 Better air quality: How Utrecht takes action Tymon de Weger, Deputy mayor and alderman for Transport and the Environment Air Quality Action Plan 2006 A set of over 20 measures including • Low emission zone for heavy goods traffic • More stringent parking policy • Clean municipal vehicle fleet • Introduction of [...]