A Complete Street Intervention for Walking to Transit, Nontransit Walking, and Bicycling: A Quasi Experimental Demonstration of Increased Use.
BACKGROUND Complete streets require evaluation to determine if they encourage active transportation. METHODS Data were collected before and after a street intervention provided new light rail, bike lanes, and better sidewalks in Salt Lake City, Utah. Residents living near <800 m) and far =801 to 2000 m) from the street were compared, with sensitivity tests for alternative definitions of near <600 and <1000 m) Dependent variables were accelerometer/global positioning system (GPS) measures of transit trips, nontransit walking trips, and biking trips that included the complete street corridor. RESULTS Active travel trips for Near Time 2 residents, the group hypothesized to be the most active, were compared with the other 3 groups (Near Time 1, Far Time 1, and Far Time 2) net of control variables. Near Time 2 residents were more likely to engage in complete street transit walking trips (35% adjusted) and nontransit walking trips (50% than the other 3 groups (24% to 25% and 13% to 36% respectively) Bicycling was less prevalent, with only 1 of 3 contrasts significant (10% of Near Time 2 residents had complete street bicycle trips compared with 5% of Far Time 1 residents) CONCLUSIONS Living near the complete street intervention supported more pedestrian use and possibly bicycling, suggesting complete streets are also public health interventions.
Journal of physical activity health