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CNN reports that a report series in The Lancet notes that physical inactivity is just as deadly as smoking or obesity. (Obviously the latter and physical inactivity are also linked.) If inactivity rates drop by 10-20%, then anything between one half to 1.3 million lives can be saved annually worldwide. The authors consider such inactivity to be equivalent to a pandemic.
In the third article of the series, Gregory Heath of the University of Tennessee wrote that "Because even moderate physical activity such as walking and cycling can have substantial health benefits, understanding strategies that can increase these behaviors in different regions and cultures has become a public health priority," and that improvements in mass transit and the walking and cycling environment can produce real benefits. As has been previously mentioned, we have engineered much physical activity out of our lives, but we can reverse the trend. Support for improved cycling and walking infrastructure in our communities have the following beneficial effects.
Nashville was featured in Smart Growth America's email as a city that has successfully redeveloped its Riverfront. The riverfront has now become "an asset for revitalization efforts" and is a place that people want to go to, rather than simply go by. The fact that Rick Bernhardt, a Nashville planning executive, remarked that "Not any one of the downtown attractions can succeed on its own, but the synergy from different elements, along with the locals and tourists creates something special" points to the importance of good planning. This development took decades, and has helped to revitalize downtown.
Out in Knoxville, a similar process has occurred and is ongoing with its own riverfront. I believe the same is occurring in Chattanooga, and perhaps Memphis and elsewhere as well. Note how although such growth does not automatically tie into bike/walk things, the development of urban landscapes inherently favors biking and walking.
Reuters is reporting that generation Y (people aged 16-34) is driving less than previous generations. There was a 23% drop in vehicle-miles travelled in the last decade, (10,300 down to 7,900 vehicle-miles) with people flocking to mass transit and bicycles. More than a quarter (26%) of them lack a driver's license, up 5% from that a decade ago.
David Jacobs of The Tombras Group here in Knoxville points out several possible reasons for the trend. Factors include the high cost of cars, the lack of the "cool" factor, environmental concerns, as well as improvements in electronic communication with cell phones and the like. This shift away from an auto-centric system by the young would have drastic implications on the design and maintenance of our roads in the coming decades.
