title: An ecological analysis of environmental correlates of active commuting in urban U.S.
abstract: We conduct a cross-sectional ecological analysis to examine environmental correlates of active commuting in 39,660 urban tracts using data from the 2010 Census, 2007-2011 American Community Survey, and other sources. The five-year average (2007-2011) prevalence is 3.05% for walking, 0.63% for biking, and 7.28% for public transportation to work, with higher prevalence for all modes in lower-income tracts. Environmental factors account for more variances in public transportation to work but economic and demographic factors account for more variances in walking and biking to work. Population density, median housing age, street connectivity, tree canopy, distance to parks, air quality, and county sprawl index are associated with active commuting, but the association can vary in size and direction for different transportation mode and for higher-income and lower-income tracts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, 225 S 1400 E AEB 228, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0080, United States. Electronic address: fan@fcs.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Jessie X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E Rm 301, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0250, United States. Electronic address: ming.wen@soc.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, 225 S 1400 E AEB 228, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0080, United States. Electronic address: lk2700@fcs.utah.edu.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kowaleski-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Active commuting; Active transportation; Biking to work; Public transportation; Walking to work