Examining Relationship Between Transit Use and Active Transportation in Canada: Time Use Approach of the Active Lifestyle of Transit Users
Lachapelle Ugo, University of Quebec
Show Abstract
The use of public transit has been positively associated
with active transportation mainly because active transport is typically required
to access and egress stations. Transit users may adopt a lifestyle that enables
them to walk and bicycle more to destinations other than transit stops or
stations. This study seeks to analyze the relationship between public transit
use and active transportation in residents of larger urban areas of Canada.Using
an urban sample of the time use module of Canada’s General Social Survey (2005,
n= 10,867, weighted to represent 15,298,948 Canadians), meeting Canadian
physical activity guidelines of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity
through walking on survey day was assessed using a logistic regression. Using
public transit during the day was the main correlate, controlling for socio
demographic characteristics and survey day. Transit users (8.5%) met physical
activity guidelines (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.66 and 2.87 respectively for bus and
subway/train) by walking to public transit or to other destinations. Additional
analysis of walk time by purpose shows that trip duration do not vary
significantly between transit users and non-users once an individual walks for a
specific purpose, but a higher proportion of transit users walked for each
studied purpose. Above and beyond the walks to public transit stops or stations,
transit users perform more active transportation to destinations by taking more
trips for various purposes. Promoting public transit use by developing
infrastructure may provide health benefits beyond a reduction in travel related
energy use and Greenhouse gas emissions.
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16-0743
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Spatial Aggregation Method for Anonymous Surveys: Case Study for Associations Between Urban Environment and Obesity
Nima Amini, University of New South Wales Taha Rashidi, University of New South Wales Lauren Gardner, Johns Hopkins University S. Waller, University of New South Wales
Show Abstract
Obesity and other chronic diseases are becoming more
prevalent in affluent countries such as Australia, and as such researchers are
trying to understand and combat this trend. One related growing stream of
research explores the role of the built environment and the transport system on
an individual’s weight. However, results from many of the studies conducted have
been contradictory. One of the primary causes of these contradictions is due to
the way the neighbourhood area is defined, which directly affects how the built
environment variables are calculated in GIS. The potential impacts on regression
analysis resulting from different data aggregation methods are well documented
in spatial studies, geography and regional planning fields, and it is primarily
referred to as the Modifiable Aerial Unit Problem (MAUP). In this paper, the
focus is on reducing the error caused by MAUP by introducing a new data
aggregation method. Individual health and lifestyle data are obtained from the
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, and the
relationship between the built environment and obesity is evaluated using a
discrete choice model. The proposed aggregation method is evaluated across three
spatial scales, and compared against a conventional data aggregation method
(i.e. utilising predefined administrative boundaries such as census tracks). The
results reveal a stronger relationship between land use variables and obesity
when the proposed aggregation method is implemented.
This paper is relevant primarily to researchers as it provides an improved
aggregation method to deal with some of the privacy restrictions of surveys. It
is also relevant to practitioners and policy makers by quantifying the
association between specific built environment variables and
obesity.
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16-6258
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Health Impacts of Active Transportation in Rural Communities: Case Study in Ennis, Three Forks, and Townsend, Montana
Yiyi Wang, San Francisco State University Hui Wu, University of Texas, Austin Meia Matsuda, University of California, Berkeley
Show Abstract
In order to expand on the limited literature on rural
active travel, this study conducted a transportation-health survey in three
rural towns in Montana to identify factors influencing travel decisions and to
assess the effects of active travel on Body Mass Index (BMI). Using BMI as the
main health indicator, in addition to attitude variables, this research
identified the underlying trends relating the built environment (BE), active
transportation, and health. The rural towns studied exhibited relatively strong
support for new bike/walk infrastructure and bike/walk facility improvements,
and providing active transportation networks contributed to a higher adoption
rate of non-motorized modes and health (BMI) benefits. No substitution pattern
was found between leisure-time physical activity and active travel: people who
exercised more tended to undertake more active travel. As safety concerns
influenced transportation choices in these communities, facility additions and
improvements that make people feel safer would be more effective in increasing
active travel. Despite the active travel potential, rural areas do face unique
challenges such as long travel distance, and the solutions to promote active
travel and healthful living for rural areas may well look quite different than
those for urban areas (e.g., flexible fee structure for bike-sharing
programs).
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16-3829
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Intake of Air Pollutants by Cyclists in Urban Environments: Characterization Using Low-Cost Mobile Monitoring
Ronan Doorley Conor de Courcy, Trinity College, Dublin Francesco Pilla, Trinity College, Dublin Vikram Pakrashi Bidisha Ghosh, Trinity College, Dublin
Show Abstract
In recent years, commuting by bicycle has been
encouraged as a way of improving health and fitness. However, some studies have
shown that although cyclists do not create air pollution, they experience
increased exposure to air pollution compared to other road users. Moreover, air
pollution exposure is associated with increased risk of lung cancer,
cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. In order to understand the
extent of the health risk faced by cyclists due to air pollution, it is
essential to be able to quantify the pollution exposures of cyclists and the
contributions of factors such as traffic volumes, cycling facilities and
meteorological conditions. Until recently, gaseous pollution sensors were
prohibitively large and expensive and/or had poor temporal resolution. However,
recent advances in electrochemical sensor technology and low power electronics
present an opportunity to characterize the pollution exposure of cyclists at
high spatial and temporal resolution. This study presents the development and
validation of a custom sensing platform incorporating a low cost NO
x sensor. The platform is used along with a heart
rate monitor and GPS tracking to explore the air pollution exposure
concentrations and intake rate of a cyclist on two routes in Dublin city. Mixed
linear models are used to explore the effects of variables relating to the road
network, the weather and cyclist behavior. It has been found that cycle lanes
adjacent to the road reduce NO
x exposure
concentrations by 34% and NO
x
intake per meter travelled by 43% compared to
on-road cycling. It was also found that bus lanes increase NOx
exposure concentrations by 10.5%
but do not significantly affect NOx intake per
meter. Faster cycling was
found to significantly reduce NO x intake per meter but this may not be true for all
individuals. These results may aid urban planners in designing cycling
facilities in order to mitigate the health impacts of air
pollution.
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16-3447
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Socioeconomic Discrepancies in Children’s Access to Physical Activity Facilities: An Activity Space Analysis
Lea Ravensbergen, University of Toronto Ron Buliung, University of Toronto, Mississauga Kathi Wilson Guy Faulkner
Show Abstract
Few Canadian children meet current
physical activity recommendations, especially children from households having
lower socioeconomic status (SES). Previous work suggests that accessibility to,
quality of, and cost of physical activity promoting facilities influences
physical activity (PA) levels. Disparities in accessibility to PA resources may
contribute to neighborhood health and social inequalities. Many studies examine
geographic accessibility to health-promoting facilities in residential
neighborhoods, ignoring individual’s mobility and other barriers to access such
as cost and quality. This study examines SES differences in accessibility to
physical activity for schoolchildren as they move throughout the day. It does so
using activity spaces measured using a modified version of a road network buffer
and a shortest path network estimation method. SES based differences in use and
quality of visited physical activity resources are also considered. Results
indicate that the high SES sample has greater accessibility to physical activity
facilities and uses them more frequently. Used facilities are of higher quality
than those used by children living in low SES neighborhoods. Cost is identified
as a potential barrier to facility access for the low SES group. In order to
combat health inequalities, these results suggest that cities must provide high
quality, affordable, and accessible resources across all
neighborhoods.
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16-2906
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Transportation Planning and Quality of Life: Where Do They Intersect?
Richard Lee, Texas A&M Transportation Institute Ipek Sener, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Show Abstract
Policy makers and researchers are increasingly
recognizing the connections between public health and transportation, but health
improvements are typically framed from a physical health perspective rather than
considering broader quality of life (QOL) impacts. Currently, there is a limited
understanding of the ways in which transportation and QOL intersect, and little
is known about how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the United
States are addressing QOL outcomes. This study addressed these gaps by
developing a conceptual framework linking transportation to QOL. The proposed
framework identified four transportation-related QOL dimensions—physical,
mental, social, and economic well-being—which are predominantly influenced by
three components of the transportation system: mobility/accessibility, the built
environment, and vehicle traffic. This framework formed the basis for a content
analysis of 148 long-range transportation plans in the United States to evaluate
the extent to which QOL is being considered in the planning process. The results
of the analysis and a follow-up examination of 13 plans revealed that MPOs are
inconsistently addressing QOL. Plans primarily targeted QOL enhancement from the
perspective of physical well-being, while mental and social well-being were
rarely considered. Often, it appeared that QOL was a secondary or unintended
byproduct of planning objectives. The findings from the framework and analysis
suggest that agencies and researchers should move beyond physical well-being
considerations and work to more comprehensively integrate QOL into the
transportation planning process.
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16-1805
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Behavioral Effects of Completing a Critical Link in the American Tobacco Trail
Thomas Cook, No Organization Sarah O'Brien, UNC Highway Safety Research Center Kristy Jackson, Stewart Inc Daniel Findley, North Carolina State University Sarah Searcy, Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE)
Show Abstract
This study responded to a unique opportunity to determine
behavioral changes that resulted from the construction of a critical link of the
American Tobacco Trail (ATT) in Durham, North Carolina. Observational data
were collected both before and after construction of a bicycle and pedestrian
bridge that linked two separate segments of the regional greenway. Prior
to construction of the bridge and trail connections, the two segments of the ATT
were separated by Interstate 40. Heavy traffic on local streets, as well
as a lack of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the area provided additional
barriers to active travel between the two ATT segments.
ITRE conducted intercept surveys and manual counts on the
two trail segments before and after construction of the bridge. The before
and after data were compared to determine the changes that occurred in use of
the ATT and accompanying social, public health, transportation, and economic
effects.
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16-3811
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