Walking frequency, cars, dogs, and the built environment.

Details

• Creators:
  Sehatzadeh, Bahareh ; Noland, Robert B. ; Weiner, Marc D.
• Corporate Creators:
  Rutgers University. Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation
• Corporate Contributors:
  New York Metropolitan Transportation Council
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Pedestrians
  • Walking
  • Decision making
  • Construction by environment
  • Pedestrians--Decision making
  • Dog walking
  • Automobiles--Use studies
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  New Jersey
• Corporate Publisher:
  University Transportation Research Center
• Abstract:
  This report explains ways to reduce car usage in order to meet climate targets and how to analyze these effects. Much of ; the analysis has focused on differences between more compact areas that are more walkable versus more extensive car-dependent ; areas. Given our interest in physical activity (to combat obesity) we are interested in overall walking similar to studies such as ; (Berrigan, Troiano 2002) which also evaluated all walking trips jointly. Several studies have previously assessed the relationship ; between dog ownership and walking in the broader context of the effects of pet ownership on human health. In spite of the ; variations in methods and results these studies draw the same conclusion that dog owners are more physically active (primarily ; through walking their dog) than non-owners ((Bauman et al. 2001, Cutt et al. 2007, Cutt et al. 2008a, Brown, Rhodes 2006, Ham, ; Epping 2006, Oka, Shibata 2009, Owen et al. 2007, Serpell 1991, Sirard et al. 2011). It has generally been acknowledged that ; residential self-selection explains a part of the observed walking behavior in more walkable neighborhoods; that is, individuals who ; prefer to walk (or do not like to drive) will choose to live in more walkable neighborhoods. ; Our results show that the level of household car ownership is important in the choice of whether individuals walk and that ; car ownership itself is partly determined by many of the walkability features that typically have an association with walking. The ; findings show that the most significant built environment variables are the ones related to network connectivity and these affect ; walking behavior both directly and indirectly through the influence on vehicle ownership. Most of the socio-economic factors are ; only associated with vehicle ownership (with the exception of age). These findings highlight the importance of policy that affects ; vehicle ownership decisions; more connected walkable networks seem to be a negative factor, but other variables that increase the ; cost and difficulty of vehicle ownership (such as how parking is provided) can be as promising as promoting pedestrian friendly ; environments.
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• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  49111-20-20
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23903/dot_23903_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 538.50 KB]
• Collection(s):
  University Transportation Centers ; US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8dc5a85836524aebe936b3cc3ccf94688e3c6deb22c87d626219dbfda64b572f636752b154c7e97e96bce75fc41105624c13c328fd11f4e9a500cbf7669c8628