Regional Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Master Plan - sacog

Master Plan Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails 39
Public Health
Walkable and bikeable communities offer innumerable opportunities for residents to engage
in physical activity. Many studies show a clear link between walking or bicycling to school
or work and better intellectual performance and readiness. However, the perception of unsafe
conditions, such as presence of crime or inadequate pedestrian facilities, can deter residents
from choosing to walk to their destination. It is crucial that as we look forward we continue to
support development that is safe and inviting for all residents of any ability and provides the
opportunity to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. Many communities must
address past poor land use decisions and lack of transportation options that act as barriers to
healthy lifestyles.
Multi-use trails provide many
health benefits for people of all
ages and abilities.
Photo Courtesy of EDCTC
Although public health is a multifaceted issue that has endless determinants, most of which are
solely controlled by the individual, as planners we can target funds towards built environment
characteristics that have shown to increase the opportunities for residents to engage in physical
activity. Some attributes of the built environment that have been associated with higher levels
of physical activity are: complete streets, access to transit, mixed use communities, well-kept
infrastructure, lighting, and aesthetically pleasing landscape to name a few. This is also an
issue of social equity, as studies show an increase in walking and bicycling mode share reduces
residents’ exposure to toxic air contaminants and improves air quality for the whole community,
and the region is in non-attainment status for multiple transportation-related pollutants.
Increasing the quantity of supportive infrastructure is essential to supporting bicycle and
pedestrian travel. Because inactivity is a significant factor in obesity and many diseases, creating
opportunities for people to incorporate walking and biking into everyday travel is important
to improving public health. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
55 percent of U.S. adults do not meet recommended activity guidelines, and approximately 25
percent report being completely inactive. 10 One study found that 43 percent of people with safe
places to walk within 10 minutes of home met recommended activity levels; and that only 27
percent of people without safe places to walk met the recommendation. Another found that
residents in neighborhoods with sidewalks are 65 percent more likely to walk. 11
10 National Complete Streets Coalition,
http://www.sacog.org/complete-streets/toolkit/files/docs/NCSC_CS%20Promote%20Good%20Health.pdf
The El Dorado Trail currently
extends from the western El
Dorado County line to the Camino
area just east of Placerville. The
ultimate vision is for it to extend
all the way to Lake Tahoe.
Transportation & Health
Health studies focusing on transportation,
air quality and physical activity suggest
numerous health benefits of walking
and biking. The Health Co-Benefits and
Transportation-Related Reductions in
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Bay Area
study found a 15% reduction in deaths and
years of life lost to heart disease, stroke,
and diabetes when 15% of car miles traveled
are replaced with walking and biking. The
Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health
Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the
Midwestern United States proposes that
replacing trips less than five miles with
walking and biking can save $3.8 billion
a year in avoided mortality and health
care costs. For more information, visit
www.cdph.ca.gov
Photo courtesy of EDCTC
11 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/ Sustainable Communities Strategy 2012