title: Bicycle boulevards and changes in physical activity and active transportation: findings from a natural experiment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates changes in physical activity and active transportation associated with installation of new bicycle boulevards.
  
  
  METHODS
  This natural experiment study uses data from a longitudinal panel of adults with children (n=353) in Portland, OR. Activity and active transportation outcomes were measured with GPS and accelerometers worn for up to 5 days in 2010-11 and 2012-13. The effect of the treatment was estimated using difference in differences estimation and multivariate regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In five of the seven models, the interaction term was not significant, indicating that after controlling for the main effects of time and exposure separately, there was no correlation between being in a treatment area and minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day, bicycling >10 min, walking >20 min, minutes of walking (if >20), or making a bike trip. Significant covariates included rain, being female, living closer to downtown, and attitudes towards bicycling, walking, and car safety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study could not confirm an increase in physical activity or active transportation among adults with children living near newly installed bicycle boulevards. Additional pre/post studies are encouraged, as well as research on the length of time after installation that behavior change is likely to occur.
authors.affiliation: Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, United States. Electronic address: jdill@pdx.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dill
authors.affiliation: Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, United States.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.affiliation: Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Broach
authors.affiliation: Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, United States.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001642:Bicycling / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009922:Oregon; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014186:Transportation; D014505:Urban Population; D016138:Walking; D014887:Weather
keywords: Bicycling; Built environment; Infrastructure; Longitudinal; Natural experiment; Neighborhood; Walking