ITS Berkeley

Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning in Rural Communities: Tools for Active Living

Aytur, SA
Satinsky, SB
Evenson, KR
Rodriguez, DA
2011

Pedestrian and bicycle planning has traditionally been viewed from an urban design perspective, rather than a rural or regional planning perspective. This study examined the prevalence and quality of pedestrian and bicycle plans in North Carolina according to geography, regional planning, and sociodemographics. Plan prevalence was lower, but plan quality tended to be higher, in rural areas compared with urban areas. Correlations between plan prevalence and active commuting were strongest in lower-income rural areas. By engaging in the planning process, rural residents and other...

A Systematic Review of Fast Food Access Studies

Fleischhacker, SE
Evenson, KR
Rodriguez, DA
Ammerman, AS
2011

The frequent consumption of energy-dense fast food is associated with increased body mass index. This systematic review aims to examine the methodology and current evidence on fast food access and its associations with outcomes. Six databases were searched using terms relating to fast food. Only peer-reviewed studies published in English during a 10-year period, with data collection and analysis regarding fast food access were included. Forty articles met the aforementioned criteria. Nearly half of the studies (n = 16) used their own set of features to define fast food....

Household Excess Travel and Neighbourhood Characteristics: Associations and Trade-offs

Fan, Y
Khattak, A
Rodriguez, D
2010

This study proposes an alternative approach to estimate excess travel using activity diaries, extending it to non-work travel and capturing interhousehold variation. Central to this approach is a residential relocation exercise that helps to decompose the amount of travel by a household into two types of travel: required and excess travel. An empirical demonstration of the approach in North Carolina shows that on average 30 per cent of households’ travel in the study area is in excess. Furthermore, lower levels of required and excess travel are found among households living in...

A Tale of Two Trails: Exploring Different Paths to Success

Walker, JG
Evenson, KR
Davis, WJ
Bors, P
Rodriguez, DA
2011

This comparative case study investigates 2 successful community trail initiatives, using the Active Living By Design (ALBD) Community Action Model as an analytical framework. The model includes 5 strategies: preparation, promotion, programs, policy, and physical projects. Key stakeholders at 2 sites participated in in-depth interviews (N = 14). Data were analyzed for content using Atlas Ti and grouped according to the 5 strategies. Preparation: Securing trail resources was challenging, but shared...

Improving Health Through Policies that Promote Active Travel: A Review of Evidence to Support Integrated Health Impact Assessment

Nazelle, A De
Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ
Anto, JM
Brauer, M
Briggs, D
Braun-Fahrlander, C
Cavill, N
Cooper, A
Desqueyroux, H
Fruin, S
Hoek, G
Panis, L
Janssen, N
Jerrett, M
Joffe, M
Andersen, Z
Kempen, E
Kingham, S
Kubesch, N
Leyden, K
Marshall, J
Matamala, J
Mellios, G
Mendez, M
Nassif, H
Ogilvie, D
Peiró, R
Perez, K
Rabl, A
Ragettli, M
Rodriguez, D
Rojas, D
Ruiz, P
Sallis, J
Terwoert, J
Toussaint, J
Tuomisto, J
Zuurbier, M
Lebret, E
2011
Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health...

Planning for Pedestrians and Bicyclists: Results from a Statewide Municipal Survey

Evenson, KR
Aytur, SA
Satinsky, SB
Kerr, ZY
Rodriguez, DA
2011

We surveyed North Carolina (NC) municipalities to document the presence of municipal walking- and bicycling-related projects, programs, and policies; to describe whether prevalence of these elements differed if recommended in a plan; and to characterize differences between urban and rural municipalities. We surveyed all municipalities with ≥ 5000 persons (n = 121) and sampled municipalities with < 5000 persons (216/420), with a response rate of 54% (183/337). Responses were weighted to account for the sampling design. From a...

Improving Estimates of Travel Activity and AIir Pollution Exposure Through Ubiquitous Sensing Technologies

Nazelle, A De
Seto, E
Donaire, D
Mendez, M
Matamala, J
Portella, M
Rodriguez, D
Nieuwenhuijsen, M
Jerrett, M
2011
Travel activity may have important influences on health, potentially contributing meaningfully to both physical activity (PA; walking and cycling) and inhaled air pollution. Ubiquitous sensing technology is a promising innovation to track locations of travel activity and associated levels of energy expenditure. We present results of a pilot study testing the use and performance of Calfit, a novel smart-phone based software that continuously records geo-positioning and PA estimated from an accelerometer integrated into Android cell-phone technology. Methods: We equipped 36 volunteers with an...

Out and About: Association of the Built Environment with Physical Activity Behaviors of Adolescent Females

Rodriguez, DA
Cho, GH
Evenson, KR
Conway, TL
Cohen, D
Ghosh-Dastidar, B
Pickrel, J
Veblen-Mortenson, S
Lytle, L
2012

Locational data, logged on portable GPS units and matched with accelerometer data, was used to examine associations of the built environment with physical activity and sedentary behaviors of adolescent females. In a sample of 293 adolescent females aged 15 to 18 years old in Minneapolis and San Diego, the built environment around each GPS point and its corresponding sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was examined using random intercept multinomial logistic regression models. The odds of higher physical activity intensity (3-level outcome: sedentary...

Exploring Walking Differences by Socioeconomic Status Using a Spatial Agent-Based Model

Yang, Y
Roux, AV Diez
Auchincloss, AH
Rodriguez, DA
Brown, DG
2012

We use an exploratory agent-based model of adults' walking behavior within a city to examine the possible impact of interventions on socioeconomic differences in walking. Simulated results show that for persons of low socioeconomic status, increases in walking resulting from increases in their positive attitude towards walking may diminish over time if other features of the environment are not conducive to walking. Similarly, improving the safety level for the lower SES neighborhoods may be effective in increasing walking, however, the magnitude of its effectiveness varies by levels...

Motorcycle Ownership and Use The Case of Latin America

Rodriguez, D
2012

Despite its rapid growth, little research has been done to understand the factors the lead to increases in motorcycle ownership and use in Latin America. Consequently, public policy has not been developed on sound basis, therefore failing to control and mitigate negative externalities associated with this boom. In this paper we examine this rapid growth to develop hypothesis and identify possible solutions. Through a formal review of the literature, we study the experience of Asian and European cities to attempt to understand the benefits and costs associated with motorcycle ownership and...