Exploring the socioeconomic factors leading to inequities in active transportation mode usage in Southern California

Keywords: Active transportation modes, Inequalities, land use
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 14

Abstract

Abstract: Active transportation modes like walking and bicycling have been considered a sustainable transportation initiative by major cities across the world. Active modes are a worthy alternative to motorized transportation for short trips within the city limits provided there is sufficient infrastructure available to sustain those modes. Active modes have also become inevitable in terms of achieving better cardiovascular health among adults. It is therefore becoming more essential for planners and policymakers to build communities that can sustain access to these modes and provide necessary infrastructure around it. Some popular deterrents of active mode usage have been largely due to lacking mixed use land zoning (cite a reference) in cities, often giving residents little reason to choose walking or bicycling as the most commonly used mode of transportation. Previous studies have shown (cite references) that the built environment factors like topography, land use mix are very significant in determining the utility of active modes of transportation. Additionally, safety of residents while walking or bicycling (cite references) has also proven to be a determining factor for choice of these modes for commute purposes. However, the complex interactions of the built environment with the geographic, social, economic and demographic composition of cities have made it difficult for researchers to identify major confounding variables that help to examine existing inequities in active transportation mode usage which are generalizable across all regions.