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Ana Validzic, MPH San Francisco Department of Public Health Nancy Baer, MSW Contra Costa Health Services. WALK THIS WAY: Connections between Transportation & Health. MTC Pedestrian Summit – Safe to Cross? January 29, 2010. Why focus on walking?.
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Ana Validzic, MPH San Francisco Department of Public Health Nancy Baer, MSW Contra Costa Health Services WALK THIS WAY: Connections between Transportation & Health MTC Pedestrian Summit – Safe to Cross? January 29, 2010
Why focus on walking? Walking is basic, fundamental, healthy, social and fun! Almost everyone is a pedestrian at some point Connects to other modes, transit
Connections to Health Increases physical activity Reduces obesity Reduces chronic diseases; e.g. diabetes, heart disease, asthma Contributes to reductions in violence
Environmental and Economic Benefits Reduces greenhouse gases Improves air quality Saves money on gas Reduces vehicle maintenance costs
Walkable Communities 1 out of 4 trips are less than one mile Communities can be built to increase walking Transportation, health, air quality and environmental benefits
What Health Departments Can Do Data, Research and Evaluation Programs, Activities and Incentives Education and Media Campaigns Community Outreach and Policy Development
Pedestrian Collision Data Richmond 2002 - 2005
Pedestrian Collision Data San Francisco 2002 - 2006
Programs and Campaigns Safe Routes to School Walking Events Education, incentives Media campaigns
The Disappearing Walk to School • 1 in 4 trips made by 5-15 year olds are to and from school • Only 10% of these trips are made by walking and bicycling • Of school trips a mile or less, about 28% are walk-based and less than 1% are bike-based
Safe Routes to School • Goal: increase walking and bicycling to and from school • Interdisciplinary movement – transportation, health and environmental • Use the “Five Es” model: • Education • Encouragement • Enforcement • Engineering • Evaluation
Community Outreach • Foster public support for ped improvements • Reach a diverse array of community members • Forums, workshops, and articles • Provide funding for community organizations
Television commercials tell us that high cholesterol comes from our diet and our ancestors, but our community also helps determine how healthy we are
Policy Development Partner with Planning and Engineering Circulation/Transportation Elements Complete Streets Policies Pedestrian Master Plan Streetscape Improvement Plans Testimony and Advisory Bodies
Health Departments as Allies Injury Prevention and Chronic Disease Sections Existing capacity and expertise Interested in being involved Together we can change the world