2007 Benchmarking Report - Alliance for Biking & Walking

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Bicycling & Walking in the U.S./ Thunderhead Alliance 2007 98 IMPACTS OF CYCLING & WALKING ON PUBLIC HEALTH Comparing Biking and Walking Rates to Diabetes Rates 12% 8% in States percent of residents ever told they have diabetes percent of population ever told they have diabetes 11% 10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% Alaska Montana New York Vermont Wyoming Source: BRFSS (2005), ACS (2005) r = -0.66 Oregon North Dakota South Dakota Idaho percent of residents ever told they have diabetes percent of trips to work by bicycle or foot Massachusetts Hawaii Maine Pennsylvania Colorado Iowa Wisconsin Washington New Jersey Minnesota California Nebraska New Mexico Illinois New Hampshire Arizona Kansas Rhode Island states Diabetes rates are lowest among states with high levels of biking and walking. Utah Nevada West Virginia Indiana Connecticut Maryland Ohio Delaware Michigan Florida Louisianna Oklahoma Missouri Virginia Kentucky Arkansas Texas South Carolina North Carolina Georgia Tennessee Mississippi Alabama 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% percent of population who bikes and walks to work percent of trips to work by bicycle or foot DATA SUGGESTS A NEGATIVE CORRELATION exists between rates of diabetes and levels of biking and walking (r = -0.66). According to data from BRFSS and ACS 2005, diabetes rates are lowest among states with high levels of biking and walking.
9: Conclusions Safety in Numbers Data indicate that higher levels of cycling and walking coincide with lower levels of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities. The “safety in numbers” phenomenon may have more than one explanation. It is possible that in places with more cyclists and pedestrians, drivers are used to sharing roadways with cyclists and looking out for pedestrians at crossings. It is also possible that a number of factors that lead to increased cycling and walking (i.e. sidewalks, bike lanes, marked intersections, education, etc.) may also contribute to safety. Also, when cycling levels are higher, drivers might be cyclists at some point and know what it is like to be on a bike. Either way, data suggests that as cycling and walking levels increase, places will become safer for cyclists and pedestrians. If You Build it They Will Come Examples abound and local advocates and officials know that a new trail or path built where few biked and walked before more often than not will dramatically increase bicycling and walking in that particular corridor. Results of this study suggest what these advocates and officials know to be true: when you build it, they will come. In general, the cities and states with the most miles of bicycling facilities have higher rates of bicycling. Because of limited data on pedestrian infrastructure, the same analysis could not be done for walking. The density of the built environment also impacts levels of biking and walking. Data show that denser cities (more people per square mile) have higher levels of cycling and walking than cities where people are more spread out. Since biking and walking trips are normally shorter distances than car trips, denser environments with close destinations will encourage more people to choose biking or walking. The lack of free and/ or readily available parking may also be a deterrent for driving in denser communities. Also, denser communities have slower car speeds making cycling relatively more attractive. When it’s easier to bike or walk than to drive, cycling and walking levels would be expected to increase. Although this report did not measure data on car-parking or other policies that encourage or discourage car use, this is a possible contributor to the trend towards more biking and walking in dense environments. Biking and Walking to a Healthier Tomorrow It is undeniable that some link exists between the decline in cycling and walking and the rise in obesity levels over the last 40 years. As suburban sprawl has moved people away from city centers, society has become increasingly dependent on the automobile and biking and walking to destinations has declined. Physical activity once was a way of life. Today, more and more people must make a concerted effort to achieve the minimum recommended level of daily physical activity. Treadmills, spinning classes, and gym memberships have replaced walking and biking for everyday trips to school, work, and errands. Not only does biking and walking to work, school, or elsewhere help to meet healthy levels of daily physical activity, it makes for a healthier society with lower levels of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. This report shows that investing in bicycling and walking is a wise public health investment towards encouraging active lifestyles and reversing this nation’s obesity epidemic. (cont. page 102) CONCLUSIONS 99 Bicycling & Walking in the U.S./ Thunderhead Alliance 2007
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Bicycling and Walking in the U.S. B
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Bicycling and Walking in the U.S. T
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Acknowledgements This report has de
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Contents PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN DRE
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Executive Summary Government offici
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to bicycle and pedestrian programs.
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1: Introduction Benchmarking Bicycl
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Denver, CO receives Bicycle-Friendl
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all and included recommendations fo
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2: Data Collection The Benchmarking
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3: Current Status of Bicycling How
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PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY KELLOGG Bicyc
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% work trips by bike Percent of Tri
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State % of work trips Trips to work
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City Trips to work by bike % of wor
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PHOTO COURTESY OF TRANSPORTATION AL
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Number of People per Bike Shop in M
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anks lowest here with only 4.0% wal
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7% Pedestrian Percent of Trips to W
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100% Distribution of those who walk
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State % of trips by foot Trips to w
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City % of Trips by Foot Trips to Wo
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Pedestrian Mode Share & Safety in C
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includes funding for biking and wal
Page 49 and 50: Other Source: FHWA (2001-2006) Fede
Page 51 and 52: Funding for Bicycling & Walking Pro
Page 53 and 54: Distribution of Transportation Enha
Page 55 and 56: Percent of TE Funds to Bicycle & Pe
Page 57 and 58: Education Projects by State Ratio o
Page 59 and 60: Bicycle & Pedestrian Staff Levels i
Page 61 and 62: Members of LAPD Bicycle Police Team
Page 63 and 64: Excerpts from Model Policies: Chica
Page 65 and 66: State % of transportation $ to bike
Page 67 and 68: City Per capita spending on bicycle
Page 69 and 70: miles per square mile of city 18 16
Page 71 and 72: Minneapolis Top for Bike Parking Mi
Page 73 and 74: Transit Integration with Bicycling
Page 75 and 76: Thunderhead Alliance Bicycle & Pede
Page 77 and 78: Budgets of Thunderhead Organization
Page 79 and 80: evenue in dollars $2,500,000 $2,000
Page 81 and 82: State Total populationserved by org
Page 83 and 84: City Population served larger than
Page 85 and 86: City-Based Advocacy Organizations M
Page 87 and 88: average temperature (degrees farhen
Page 89 and 90: Demographic Influences Income Incom
Page 91 and 92: miles of bicycle facilities per squ
Page 93 and 94: percent of trips to work by foot %
Page 95 and 96: 8: Impacts of Bicycling and 40% 35%
Page 97 and 98: percent of trips to work by bicycle
Page 99: 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% Alaska Montana
Page 103 and 104: Levels, Safety, and Funding 25% per
Page 105 and 106: 10: Recommendations How You Can Use
Page 107 and 108: surveys. The team will expand outre
Page 109 and 110: State Thunderhead Organization AK N
Page 111 and 112: Nebraska Bikeable Communities: Omah
Page 113 and 114: City Census 2000 % bike to work Cen
Page 115 and 116: States Bike fatalities WISQARS Bike
Page 117 and 118: Bibliography: Chapter 1 - Introduct
Page 120: $24.95 Made possible in part by: MA
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2007 Benchmarking Report - Alliance for Biking & Walking

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