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Making the Case for Sticky

Community Design

_

Active Communities Action Institute

Bozeman, MT

March 2015A delightfully wet ride in

Great Falls.

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The common challenges:

• Isn’t health a result of personal

decisions & habits?

• If we build it, will they come?

(People are basically lazy . . .)

• Shouldn’t the free market

dictate how we build our cities

& towns?

• So, what is your prescription

for healthy design (& how do

we get there)?

Walking home

from school.

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Youthful

recollections

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0

10

20

30

40

50

1969 2001

% o

f stu

den

ts a

ge

5-1

8

Car

Bus

W/B

Changes in Walking & Cycling to School,

1969 to 2001Ham et.al., Jour. of Physical Activity & Health, 2008, 5, 205-215

W/B = Walk/Bike

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CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Examination

Surveys (NHANES) II (ages 6–11) and III (ages 12–17), and NHANES I, II

and III, and 1999–2006.

www.rwjf.org/files/publications/annual/2008/year-in-review/

Trends in

Childhood

Obesity &

Overweight

30-Nov-2009

freerangekids.org

The real

risk kids

face . . .

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Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP; New.Eng.J.Med., Feb. 7, 2002)

Compared three

treatments for

nationwide cohort

(3,000+) at risk for

Type II diabetes

(elevated fasting

glucose).

Control:

counseling

+ placebo

Drug:

counseling +

Metformin

Lifestyle:

nutrition +

150 min. PA

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Diabetes Risk Reduction(Diabetes Prevention Program; NEJM, Feb. 2002)

0.31

0.58

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Metformin Lifestyle

Relative to Control Group (standard intervention)

% R

ed

uc

tio

n o

f R

isk Risk Reduction

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The Rant:

Change our thinking. It’s not

just an obesity epidemic. It’s

twin epidemics of physical

inactivity and poor nutrition.*

* Two of the three biggest drivers of

skyrocketing healthcare costs.

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The bad news in just three numbers:

30 minutes of daily physical activity

recommended (60 min for youth).

% of American adults actually meet

these recommendation (thru LTPA).

,000 Estimated annual deaths in

America due to physical inactivity &

poor nutrition. (2nd only to tobacco.)

20

365

<

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Surgeon General’s Report 1996

Physical Activity Guidelines 2008

• 150 minutes/week of moderate physical activity; more is better.

• Any activity is better than none.

• Can be broken up.

• 300 min/week for children.

• Reduced risk for CVD, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, dementia in old age, clinical depression, a growing list of cancers . . .

This counts!

(Billings)

www.health.gov/paguidelines

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Leisure Time Physical Activity in the US(MMWR: 50(09), 166-9; 54(39), 991-4)

10

20

30

40

50

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

% o

f U

S P

op

ula

tio

n

Inactive Sufficiently Active

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But in the end . . .

It’s a matter of personal

choice, isn’t it?

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Exercise ParticipationEffect of Short Bouts, Home Treadmills

(Jakicic et.al., J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 282, 16)

60

120

180

240

0 6 12 18

months

Exerc

ise (

min

/week)

LB

SB

SBT

?

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60

120

180

240

0 6 12 18

months

Exerc

ise (

min

/week)

LB

SB

SBT

Exercise ParticipationEffect of Short Bouts, Home Treadmills

(Jakicic et.al., J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 282, 16)

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A realization:

Simply teaching people to

“exercise” is not enough. We

need to support increases in

routine, daily physical

activity for everyone.

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Public Policy - laws, ordinances,

permitting practices & procedures

Community - networks, facilities

Institutional - school, work,

health care & service providers

Interpersonal - family,

friends, colleagues

Individual

motivation, skills

Social Ecology

Model

Sallis & Owen,

Physical

Activity &

Behavioral

Medicine.

Determinants

of behavior

change

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Public Policy - laws, ordinances,

permitting practices & procedures

Community - networks, facilities

Institutional - school, work,

health care & service providers

Interpersonal - family,

friends, colleagues

Individual

motivation, skillsGreater

Impact

Easier to

Implement

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Socio-ecological successes?

Water-borne disease

Tobacco

use

Recycling

Seatbelts,

child safety

restraints

Haiti

www.markfenton.comThanks to Prof. Ross Brownson, Wash. Univ., St. Louis

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Necessary and

important,

but not enough. >

< We must build

communities

where people are

intrinsically

more active.

Helena

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The “healthy” trip decision hierarchy*:

Walk

Bike

Transit

Drive

*Nearly 25% of all

trips are one mile

or less; roughly

40% are two

miles or less!(Nat’l Household

Transportation Survey)

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If we build it, will

they come?

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1. Varied destinations within

walk, bike, & transit distance.

2. Connecting facilities: trails,

sidewalks, bike lanes, transit.

3. Designs are functional &

inviting for pedestrians,

bicyclists, & transit users.

4. Safe & accessible for all

ages, incomes, abilities

Denton TX

www.thecommunityguide.orgCDC Guide to Community Preventive Services

YES! Four elements: Elizabethtown

Harlowton

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In planner language:

• Mix of land uses;

varied destinations.

• Network of bicycle,

pedestrian, & transit

facilities.

• Functional site

designs & details.

• Universal safety &

access.

Roundup

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1. Land use. Live, work, shop, play, learn, pray.

Mixed

use,

multi-

family.

Compact neighborhoods,

. . . shared open space.

Schools, shopping, health care . . .

Civic anchors

in proximity.

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2. Network of facilities:

• Presence of sidewalks, paths, bicycle lanes.

• Shorter blocks, more intersections.

• Access to trail, park, greenway, transit.

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Transit riders are physically active.Besser, Dannenberg, Amer. J. Prev. Med., 29 (4), Nov. 2005.

Just during the daily walk to transit:

• Half of transit riders

walk at least 19 mins.

• 29% get at least 30

mins. of activity.

• Minorities, poor

(income <$15k/yr.),

denser urban dwellers

more likely to get 30+

mins./day.

Appleton WI

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Bicycle

network

options:

Sharrow

Bike lanes

Shoulders

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Bike lane

Protected bike lane

American River Trail

Sacramento, CA

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3. Site

Design:

Which setting is

more inviting for

travel on foot or

by bicycle?

Bemidji

Billings

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3. Site

Design:

Which setting is

more inviting for

travel on foot or

by bicycle?

Bemidji

Lewistown

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Site designResearch &

practice suggest:

• Buildings near the sidewalk, not set back; parking on street or behind.

• Trees, benches, lighting, awnings, “human” scale.

• Details: bike parking, open space, plants, art, materials.

Portland, ORBillings

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Possible incentives:

• Decrease, share parking (include bike racks).

• Build-to lines.

• Mixed-use, multi-story, w/ residential density bonus.

• Expedite permits.

Appleton WI

Neenah WI

You must support elected & appointed officials if you expect them to act!

Donald Shoup,

The High Price of Free Parking

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4. Safety & access. • Engineering can markedly

improve safety.

• Increasing pedestrian and

bike trips decreases overall

accident & fatality rates.

Curb extensions

Median

islands

Roundabout

(Jacobsen P, Injury Prevention, 2003; 9:205-209.)

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Lane re-alignments• 5 or 4 lanes reduced

to 3, “road diets.”

• Reduces collisions &

severity.

• Improves performance

for pedestrians, bikes.

Urbana, IL; before & after.

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E.g. Shelby Main Street - bike lanes?

Parking 9’; Bike Lane 6’; Travel Lane 13’

Total = ~ 56’

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Could 1st Ave. S. go on a diet?

Billings

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E. Avenue A; other four-lane roads.

Hutchinson, KS.

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E. Avenue A, Hutchinson, KS – they did it!

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Diagonal

parking

increases

on-street

capacity,

but . . .

Reverse angle:

• Fewer, less

severe collisions.

• Safer for bikes

& pedestrians.

• Slows traffic.

Des Moines, IA

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Four Elements of Healthy Community Design:

www.activelivingresearch.orgSite design

Safety &

access

Ped, bike,

& transit

network

Mix of

destinations

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Shouldn’t the free market

dictate how we build our

cities & towns?

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*www.ceosforcities.org/work/walkingthewalk

www.walkscore.com

Economics. Walking the Walk:

How Walkability Raises Housing Values in

U.S. Cities (CEOs for Cities report)*

Higher score = $4,000-$34,000 home value

walkscore = 12

walkscore = 72

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On Common GroundNat’l Assoc. of Realtors pub.; Summer 2010

www.realtor.org

The Next Generation of

Home Buyers:

• Taste for urban living.

• Appetite for public

transportation.

• Strong green streak.

• Plus, Americans are

driving less overall!

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Study of street

redesigns in NYC:• Pre- and post-project

measurement of retail

revenue.

• E.g. pedestrian plazas,

bike paths, redesigned

intersections, BRT . . .

• Improvement areas

exceeded borough &

control area averages.

nyc.gov/dot

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Benefits of protected

bike facilities

BikeWalkAlliance.org

GreenLaneProject.org

• Support real estate

values.

• Recruiting & retaining

skilled employees.

• Healthier, more

productive workers.

• Increased retail revenue.

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Smart Growth & Economic Successwww.epa.gov/smartgrowth/economic_success.htm

Dec. 2012

Benefits to developers,

realtors, investors, local

governments:

• Less infrastructure in

compact development.

• Walkability premium.

• Flexibility & choice.

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Smart Growth: The Business Casewww.epa.gov/smartgrowth/economic_success.htm

Nov. 2013

Beneficial to:

• Creative economy,

productivity,

innovation.

• Competitive for hiring

& retaining employees.

• Strong retails sales,

transport choice.

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Walkability.Why we care & why

you should too!

Builder Magazine,

Mar. 2014

• Consumer desire

• Flexibility in design

• Lower development

costs . . .

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What’s happening?

• 1st & 2nd generation

malls & big boxes are

struggling.

• Employers seek vibrant,

livable communities,

where employee health,

satisfaction, & retention

are high!

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So how to get there?

Opening Eyes with a Walk

A moist walkabout in New Bedford, MA

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Three benefits of walkabouts:

• Powerful educational tool; people actually

experience what works & what doesn’t.

• Can be critical inspiration for a community,

leading to a healthy vision & action.

• Excellent for public input & practical planning.

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How, when to

host walk

audits?

• Public comment; design

charrettes. Road, trail, park

projects; private

development; hearings.

• Better “events.” E.g. Walk

to School/Work week; open

streets; better blocks.

• Hosted walks: School,

church, senior center,

neighborhood association,

business district. Boone

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Who to include?

Everyone!

• Any & all concerned citizens(elderly, parents, children).

• Professionals: Public works, police, fire, health, planners, engineers, conservation, parks & recreation, schools, historical preservation.

• Elected officials and staff.

• Advocates: Environment, trails, safety, social justice.

• Businesses; chamber of commerce, economic development.

• Developers: Builders, land owners, realtors, lenders.

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Typical Active Community Workshop

elements:

• Vision/Intros. Your wish for 10 years from now.

• Learn. Language, tools, possibilities.

• Walk. Experience what’s working & what needs help.

• Work. Develop programs,projects, & policies.

• Plan. Concrete next steps.

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Include youth!

They’re not

constrained

by what

“can’t be

done!”

Nogales AZ

Active community environment

survey: www.michiganfitness.org

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During a Walk Audit:

• Plan teachable moments. Scout for

representative challenges & opportunities.

• Experience both good & bad.

• Get all to offer ideas. Use 0-10 scoring

system to start discussion.

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Human curb extension in Carlisle, PA.

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Finding “teachable” moments.

Neighbor informally maintaining an island at 5:30 am.

Discovering pedestrian demand w/ a goat trail.

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During the group work & discussion:

• Mix disciplines in the groups. Don’t let all engineers or advocates or developers sit together.

• Insist on ideas under all of Ps. It assures that everyone has a role in implementation.

• Make sure everyone contributes. Ideally have big maps & pens for all.

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Require ideas from all three P’s!

• Programs: Build awareness, plans, support, skills.

• Projects: Improve the infrastructure for physical activity.

• Policies: Rewrite the rules so it’s done “right.”

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E.g. Carlisle PA workshop feedback.

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Force

commitments:

What will

we/you do

tomorrow?

• Be a champion. Talk to

others, organize, lead.

• Collect data. Map routes,

measure traffic, speeds,

mode shares; research $.

• Have event. Open street,

Walk to School/Work.

• Fix stuff. Paint crosswalks,

replace lights, cut brush.

• Try new stuff. Signs,

bollards, planters, paint.