Impact of the Built Environment Measured at Multiple Levels on Nonmotorized Travel Behavior: An Ecological Approach to a Florida Case Study

Jina Mahmoudi,Lei Zhang

doi:10.3390/su12218837

Abstract

Research continues to reveal the benefits of nonmotorized travel modes such as walking and bicycling. Therefore, identification of the factors that nurture these activities is essential in developing sustainable urban planning policies and designs. Among those factors are the built environment characteristics of the place of residence. To date, research on the role of the built environment in nonmotorized travel has focused on neighborhood-level factors. However, people do not stay within their neighborhoods; they live and work at a regional scale and travel to various destinations and distances each day. Nonetheless, little is known about the impact of built environment factors at larger spatial scales on nonmotorized travel behavior. Guided by the principles of the ecological model of behavior, this study investigates the role of the built environment at hierarchical spatial scales in nonmotorized travel behavior. Multilevel Structural Equation Models have been developed to comprehensively examine the complex links between the built environment and individuals’ nonmotorized travel. Findings indicate that built environment factors at multiple spatial scales can influence nonmotorized travel behavior. Thus, to promote walking and bicycling, more effective policies are those that include multilevel built environment and land use interventions and consider the overall physical form of urban areas.

Highlights

Statistics and research findings pertaining to the state of travel within the U.S reveal that the automobile remains the dominant mode of transportation in the U.S.— for commuting [1,2,3,4], whereas walking and bicycling remain the modes less traveled
The most recent National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) showed that of all trips taken in the U.S, the shares of walking and bicycling trips were approximately 11% and 1%, respectively, compared to the share of trips made by private automobiles, which accounted for nearly 83% [4]
This study considers the metropolitan area as the Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) where the household was located; the macro-level built environment is represented by CBSA-level variables including: average activity density, average entropy, average total road network density, percentage of small blocks, average automobile accessibility to employment opportunities, average transit accessibility to employment opportunities, average Walk Score, and average roadway congestion index

Summary

Introduction

Statistics and research findings pertaining to the state of travel within the U.S reveal that the automobile remains the dominant mode of transportation in the U.S.— for commuting [1,2,3,4], whereas walking and bicycling remain the modes less traveled. The most recent National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) showed that of all trips taken in the U.S, the shares of walking and bicycling trips were approximately 11% and 1%, respectively, compared to the share of trips made by private automobiles, which accounted for nearly 83% [4]. These trends have adverse health, economic, and environmental consequences. According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), transportation activities accounted for approximately 35% of U.S carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion, and 27% of total U.S greenhouse gas emissions in 2015 [7]

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