Greetings, all - I’m reaching out to Health and Transportation listserv members in the hopes someone can point me in a productive direction.

I have a planning commission that is struggling with the public health benefits/impacts of compact, walkable urban development. On the one hand they understand and appreciate the active transportation benefits associated with this built form. On the other hand, the epidemiologist on the commission argues that the increased impacts of air pollution in an urban area more than offsets the benefits associated with active lifestyle and so is working to prohibit urbanization measures along our key transit corridors – density, mix of uses, transit oriented development.

I can find reams of articles on the benefits of active transport. And I can find scholarly articles about transportation-related air quality impacts on public health. What I cannot find is anything that brings the two together in a way that sheds light about these considerations in combination – air quality impacts trumping active transport benefits (or vice versa). This is further complicated by the studies she is referencing which were done in major metropolitan areas. We are a small, low-density metro area with a population of about 175,000 between three cities. Our principal arterials carry anywhere from 10,000 – 18,000 vehicles per day. We have very little “urban” land use form and are trying to more effectively stimulate that kind of private sector investment along our premier transit corridors where we have the beginnings of walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods taking shape.

Are you aware of any research that has looked at the trade-offs between active transport and air quality impacts that might be useful in this regard?

Any insights are appreciated – thank you!

Thera

Thera Black

Thurston Regional Planning Council

2424 Heritage Court SW, Ste A

Olympia, WA  98502

360.956.7575 ext 2545

www.trpc.org

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