A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals the transformative potential of walking- and cycling-friendly policies in cities around the world.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals the transformative potential of walking- and cycling-friendly policies in cities around the world. Conducted by researchers from UCLA and Google, the study analyzed travel data from more than 11,500 cities across 121 countries, making it the most comprehensive global assessment to date of active transportation, or the potential for walking or biking.
The findings show that increasing density and redesigning streets to make active travel safer and more comfortable are the strongest predictors of high walking and biking rates. If every city expanded its bike lane network and redesigned streets to match Copenhagen, Denmark, global walking and biking rates would increase by 412 billion miles, or 663 billion kilometers, per year — leading to an estimated 6% reduction in global carbon emissions and $435 million in health benefits. These policies to promote walking and biking can also reduce road traffic deaths, air pollution and road user stress.
Adam Millard-Ball, lead author and director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, highlighted how local planning decisions shape how people travel. “The way that cities design their streets fundamentally shapes how people get around, especially for short trips. Are there sidewalks? Bike lanes? How wide are the traffic lanes?” Millard-Ball said. “In this study, we show that these seemingly local planning choices, made in thousands of cities around the world, can collectively drive major shifts in global climate outcomes.”
Read more at University of California – Los Angeles
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