Active Transportation, Health, and TOD

Jeffery Rosenhall, MACalifornia Active Communities/

CA Dept. of Public Health/UCSFSeptember 27, 2010

Active Transportation, TOD and Health

Making the case for Active Transportation and TOD: •Increased PA helps reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic disease in adults – esp. CVD and diabetes.

• TOD can encourage regular w/b, increasing PA + decreased driving, and the related MV injuries/deaths.

• In general, increased use of transit reduces particulates and pollution from automobiles.

Summary: PA improves health, TOD increases PA + reduces injuries and pollution and is therefore an example of “healthy development.”

Use of transit Increases PA

Data from the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (N=3,312) show that 29% of public transit users achieve the Surgeon General’s recommendation of 30 minutes or more of physical activity a day while walking to and from transit. Racial/ethnic minorities reported even greater percentages of achieving the recommended level of activity.

18%

33%

41% 39%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

White AfricanAmerican

Asian/PacificIslander

Hispanic

Public Transit Users

Per

cen

t w

alke

d

30+

min

ute

s/d

ay

Source: Besser L, Dannenberg A. Walking to public transit: Steps to help meet physical activity recommendations. American Journal Preventive Medicine 2005; 29(4): 273-280.

How does CA promote Active Transportation?

Healthy Transportation Network (HTN)-Project partners, activities, audience

Local Public Health and the Built Environment (LPHBE)-Activities, audience, outcomes

Walkable Community Workshops (WCW)-Website, trainers, process

•ASTHO/CDPH HIA grant-Pilot states, activities, workgroup

Local Government Commission

HIA Purpose: -Steps: Screening, scoping, assessment, reporting, monitoring.

-Judge the health effects of the proposed project/plan/policy

-Call out the health impacts

-Provide recommendations to decision-makers

-Shape public decisions and discourse

How can HIA promote health?

Source: Human Impact Partners (HIP), Oakland, CA

HIA of Bay Area TOD Project

Pittsburg BART Extension example, SF Bay Area-Setting and context

Pros/cons of the TOD project:(+) Affordable housing near transit(-) Potential AQ impacts to TOS residents

Mitigations needed:-Window treatments-Improved HVAC systems installed

Outcomes:-HIA results shared with community partners/residents and info may

impact the development of the Specific Plan.

Source: Human Impact Partners. 2008. Pittsburg Railroad Avenue Specific Plan Health Impact Assessment. Oakland, CA.

Moving Healthy TOD Forward

• Active Transportation can improve health outcomes.

• Public health collaboratives and partnerships can and do promote active transportation.

• HIA helps to measure potential health impacts prior to project/plan/policy approval.

• TOD encourages active transport and thus improved health but site planning is critical and mitigations may be necessary to avoid unintended health consequences.

Stay Connected

Jeffery Rosenhall, MA Active Communities Specialist, California Department of Public Health/University of California, San Franciscop: 916.552.9885e: jeffery.rosenhall@cdph.ca.govw: www.CAactivecommunities.org Twitter: @ahealthypublicLCI #2312

There IS hope