Health impacts of bike sharing system – A case study of Shanghai

Background: Bike sharing systems have been promoted in many countries. Bike sharing can alleviate urban air pollution and reduce road congestion during peak hours in the morning and evening. In addition, using shared bicycles as a daily commuting tool can help users increase their daily exercise volume. This study evaluates the health effects of shared bicycle use. The evaluation of health is prospective, and we utilize current data to evaluate and analyze the health of future users. The primary health considerations for users include physical activity, PM2.5 levels, and collision rates. Physical exercise might be hindered by high concentrations of PM2.5. Thus, while riding in conditions of very high PM2.5 concentration, the pollutants taken by the traveler will hurt the body and counteract the advantages of physical exercise. This research demonstrates that cycling during periods of low or moderate PM2.5 concentrations should lead to an overall reduction premature mortality. / Data and methods: We perform a health assessment study to quantify the health risks and benefits of car trip substitution by bike trip. We collected the cycling data from Mobike shared bicycles operator in Shanghai established in August 2016. From August 1st to August 31st, 2018, there were 1,023,603 orders and 3,036,936 cycling users. During the computational analysis, we examined three factors: physical activity, PM2.5 pollution, and bicycle collision rate, and then summed the results to determine the cyclist's risk of early death. Three scenarios are created to estimate the annual expected number of deaths (increasing or reduced) due to physical activity, road traffic fatalities, and air pollution. / Results: Air pollution exposure was assessed using variations in the background fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration, which was 45 μg/m3 on average in August 2016 in Shanghai. Cycling under these settings, the advantages of physical exercise exceeded the hazards posed by pollution. When PM2.5 concentrations exceed 45 μg/m3, seven to eight people will avert early mortality for every 306,936 users. It means 23–26 per million cyclists would avoid premature death. When PM2.5 concentrations exceed 68 μg/m3, 1 to 2 people will be significantly harmed by air pollution and 4–7 out of every million cyclists are negatively affected by high PM2.5 concentrations. / Conclusions: These results demonstrate that shared cycling can avoid premature mortality. In addition, from the perspective of urban pollution, commuters choosing bicycles instead of cars to travel can reduce urban air pollution, improve air quality, and reduce traffic jams in the morning and evening peaks. Further research on the co-benefits of shared bicycles would be helpful to planners

Promoting Sustainable Mobility: To What Extent Is “Health” Considered by Mobility App Studies? A Review and a Conceptual Framework

Promoting cycling and walking in cities improves individual health and wellbeing and, together with public transport, promotes societal sustainability patterns. Recently, smartphone apps informing and motivating sustainable mobility usage have increased. Current research has applied and investigated these apps; however, none have specifically considered mobility-related health components within mobility apps. The aim of this study is to examine the (potential) role of health-related information provided in mobility apps to influence mobility behavior. Following a systematic literature review of empirical studies applying mobility apps, this paper (1) investigates the studies and mobility apps regarding communicated information, strategies, and effects on mobility behavior and (2) explores how, and to what extent, health and its components are addressed. The reviewed studies focus on environmental information, especially CO2-emissions. Health is represented by physical activity or calories burned. The self-exposure to air pollution, noise, heat, traffic injuries or green spaces is rarely addressed. We propose a conceptual framework based on protection motivation theory to include health in mobility apps for sustainable mobility behavior change. Addressing people’s self-protective motivation could empower mobility app users. It might be a possible trigger for behavior change, leading towards healthy and sustainable mobility and thus, have individual and societal benefits.Peer Reviewe

Cycle commuting in Belgium: Spatial determinants and ‘re-cycling’ strategies

This paper attempts to explain the spatial variation of the use of a bicycle for commuting to work at the level of the 589 municipalities in Belgium. Regression techniques were used and special attention was paid to autocorrelation, heterogeneity and multicollinearity. Spatial lag models were used to correct for the presence of spatial dependence and a disaggregated modelling strategy was adopted for the northern and southern parts of the country. The results show that much of the inter-municipality variation in bicycle use is related to environmental aspects such as the relief, traffic volumes and cycling accidents. Town size, distance travelled and demographic aspects also have some effect. In addition, there are regional differences in the effects of the structural covariates on bicycle use: the impact of variables such as traffic volume and cycling accidents differs substantially between the north and the south of the country. This paper also suggests that high rates of bicycle use in one municipality stimulate cycling in neighbouring municipalities, and hence that a mass effect can be initiated, i.e. more cycle commuting encourages even more commuters in the area to cycle. These findings provide some recommendations for decision-makers wishing to promote a shift from car to bicycle usecycling, commuting, spatial lag model, spatial regime, pro-cycling strategies

Science, Advocacy, Policy, Planning: Tools for Advancing Transportation Equity

The theme of this portfolio is how different tools and approaches can be used for advancing transportation equity. Broadly defined, transportation equity is about fairness in transportation. There are a number of ways this fairness can be assessed. The most common way to assess transportation equity is by looking at the fairness of outcomes, distributed geographically, socially, or even by mode of transportation. Equity can also be defined by the fairness of processes. The first half of the portfolio illustrates some of the problems with the current transportation system and how it is unhealthy (Piece 1) and unjust (Piece 2). The second half of the portfolio focuses on one of the potential solutions: encouraging and promoting increased levels of multimodal transportation (Piece 3); and then analyzing how community planners and leaders best work to achieve this in an equitable way (Piece 4). The first piece of this portfolio is a literature review of how scientists measure near-road air pollution exposure from mobile sources, which provides a better understanding of just one important environmental health impact our transportation systems. There are key social and geographic equity implications from those studies, which planners and activists can use as evidence in arguments for solutions. The second piece is an environmental justice analysis of a road expansion project in Missoula, Montana. This piece seeks to better understand the procedural, distributive, and social impacts from the project and brings in themes of advocacy and best practices in an effort to argue for sensible alternatives. The third piece is a reflection essay from my internship with the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization, where I wrote a white paper as part of the 2016 update to the Long Range Transportation Plan. This white paper discusses multimodal solutions to vehicle-oriented transportation development and provides a policy-based approach to increasing levels of multimodal transportation rates in Missoula. The last piece is a case study of a multimodal transportation project in Miami, Florida. This piece analyzes transportation planners’ approaches to procedural equity and discusses successes and areas for improvement.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/grad_portfolios/1009/thumbnail.jp

Exploring cyclists’ and pedestrians’ personal exposure, wellbeing and protective practices on-the-move

In dieser Doktorarbeit wurde untersucht, welche Faktoren Wohlbefinden, wahrgenommene Gesundheit und Mobilitätspraktiken von Radfahrenden und Fußgänger:innen während des Unterwegsseins beeinflussen. Ziel war es, die persönliche Exposition gegenüber Feinstaub und Lärm unterwegs zu messen und diese der individuell wahrgenommenen Belastung gegenüberzustellen. Zudem wurden weitere Faktoren, die das Wohlbefinden beeinflussen, untersucht. Die Arbeit beleuchtet überdies, wie über gesunde und angenehme Mobilität informiert werden könnte. Zuerst wurden mobile qualitative Interviews (Go-/Ride-Alongs) durchgeführt und mit tragbaren Sensoren zur Messung von Feinstaub und Lärm ergänzt. Der situative Kontext, die sensorische Wahrnehmung und soziale Aspekte beeinflussen, ob das Unterwegsseins in der Stadt als gesund und angenehm empfunden wird. Diese Faktoren können in vergleichsweise als hoch belastend gemessenen Situationen ausgleichend wirken. Weiterhin wurden Informationsmöglichkeiten für eine gesunde Mobilität in der Stadt exploriert. Ein Literaturreview hat aufgezeigt, dass Gesundheitsthemen wenig Berücksichtigung in Forschung zu Mobilitäts-Apps finden. Daran anschließend wurden Fokusgruppen durchgeführt. Es wurde ermittelt, wie gesunde und angenehme Routen kommuniziert werden können. Hier könnendas Vorhandensein von Routenalternativen und Bewältigungsstrategien ein Gefühl von Selbstwirksamkeit geben. Es wurde eine „pleasant routing app“ vorgeschlagen, die angenehme und gesunde Routenaspekte integriert. Um die Attraktivität des Fahrradfahrens und zu Fuß Gehens zu steigern, sollten Erfahrungen, Wahrnehmungen und Praktiken von Radfahrenden und Fußgänger:innen berücksichtigt werden. Letztendlich kann somit aktive Mobilität ihr Potenzial entfalten und zu einer lebenswerten, gesunden und umweltfreundlichen Stadt beitragen.This thesis investigates factors influencing cyclists’ and pedestrians’ health and wellbeing on-the-move. Moreover, the possibilities of smartphone apps for supporting a healthy and pleasant trip are investigated. The scope of this thesis is to combine the topic healthy and pleasant mobility with possibilities of mobility apps. First, the thesis explores how cyclists and pedestrians perceive their personal exposure towards air pollution and noise as well as other factors influencing commuting experience and wellbeing on-the-move. This is contrasted to actual measured particulate matter and noise. Qualitative interviews on-the-move (‘go-/ride-alongs’) are complemented by wearable sensors measuring particulate matter and noise. The results show discrepancies as well as coherences between perceived and measured exposure. The situational context, sensory awareness (e.g. water views) and social cues (e.g. seeing other people) are important for a perceived pleasant commute, even in polluted areas. Second, this thesis identifies how far health impacting factors are considered in research using mobility apps to identify their possibilities for supporting a healthy commute. A literature review reveals that research applying mobility apps is lacking the consideration of health topics and it is proposed to integrate health topics in mobility app development. Following these findings, the thesis investigates communication options to inform about a healthy and pleasant commute. Focus groups were applied showing that information should include feasible coping strategies and increase self-efficacy. Pleasant trip characteristics could be included in a healthy mobility app. If active mode users’ experiences, perceptions and practices are considered, cycling and walking can become more attractive and more people are encouraged to cycle or walk. Hence, active modes can unfold their potential for supporting the transformation towards liveable, healthy and environmentally friendly cities

Managing Climate Risk : Reducing Emissions and Achieving Net Zero Targets

Radical action must be taken now to curb the worst outcome from our current climate crisis. The Scottish Government has been a world leader in climate action as a result of legally binding emissions reductions targets established by the 2009 Climate Change (Scotland) Act. The Managing Climate Risk conference, organised by Holyrood Insight, drew attention to enhancements to the 2009 Act that introduce a legally binding monitored commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Importantly, the conference pinpointed key areas for action together with the challenges of, and practical opportunities arising from, delivering on commitments. Delivering on the Scottish commitment requires transformation in the community, public sector and businesses. During the conference approaches to altering structures and strategies were set out alongside a variety of other ways to incentivise and support change in people’s day-to-day behaviour. There have been easy wins in electricity generation but now energy efficiency measures must be mainstreamed and the transportation system be completely rethought. Emissions reduction must be part of a coordinated global effort; Scotland can achieve net zero in way that brings communities together and encourages health benefits

Environmental exposure during travel : A research review and suggestions forward

Daily travel through the urban fabric exposes urban dwellers to a range of environmental conditions that may have an impact on their health and wellbeing. Knowledge about exposures during travel, their associations with travel behavior, and their social and health outcomes are still limited. In our review, we aim to explain how the current environmental exposure research addresses the interactions between human and environmental systems during travel through their spatial, temporal and contextual dimensions. Based on the 104 selected studies, we identify significant recent advances in addressing the spatiotemporal dynamics of exposure during travel. However, the conceptual and methodological framework for understanding the role of multiple environmental exposures in travel environments is still in an early phase, and the health and wellbeing impacts at individual or population level are not well known. Further research with greater geographical balance is needed to fill the gaps in the empirical evidence, and linking environmental exposures during travel with the causal health and wellbeing outcomes. These advancements can enable evidence-based urban and transport planning to take the next step in advancing urban livability.Peer reviewe

Natural Experiments in Environmental and Transport Economics

This thesis provides a collection of five natural experiments in environmental and transport economics. Chapter 1 introduces the topics and offers the methodological context. Chapter 2 tests the hypothesis that particulate matter has a direct effect on human decision-making. It uses chess games as a natural experiment and demonstrates that air pollution causes individuals to take less risk. Chapter 3 assesses whether ozone air pollution affects human physical activity. Findings show that ozone reduces cycling speed, even for concentrations below current air quality standards. Chapter 4 finds that public rental bicycles are a local net substitute for metro service and that these bicycles can alleviate time losses stemming from interruptions in public transport. Chapter 5 focuses on New York City and estimates the causal effect of protected bike lanes on traffic speed, flow, and road safety. Bike lanes seem to improve cyclists' safety both on streets and at junctions, while having no statistically significant effect on traffic speed and traffic flow. Chapter 6 investigates to what extent smartphones play a role in the number of road accidents. The results indicate that smartphone distraction can explain 10% of accidents and that phone-related accidents mainly happen on local urban roads