Public Health, Climate Change, and Federal Transportation Policy

The transportation sector is associated with multiple public health risk factors – adding billions of dollars to our national healthcare bill – while accounting for approximately 28 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. This briefing will explore an emerging body of research documenting local, regional and national health impacts from transportation and implications for addressing transportation-related impacts on climate change.

Exposure to air pollution from vehicles has been linked to premature deaths, cancer, asthma, and other lung ailments. Time spent driving and limited options to walk or bike have been shown to be significant risk factors for health problems associated with physical inactivity, such as stress and obesity, which have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Many of these impacts, asthma and obesity in particular, disproportionately affect children. Recent studies suggest that climate change will exacerbate many of these impacts, however, transportation strategies to address these public health concerns have proven effective measures to help mitigate climate change.

On January 14, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing to examine the public health impacts and costs associated with transportation in the United States. The briefing addressed how federal transportation infrastructure policies can improve public health and mitigate climate change at the same time.

Federal economic stimulus legislation as well as anticipated federal transportation, climate, and energy bills are all important opportunities to address the public health impacts and costs associated with transportation as well as energy security and climate protection goals. Key questions addressed include:

• What are the public health impacts associated with transportation?

• What are the opportunities to simultaneously address climate change and different public health impacts associated with transportation?

• What transportation policy options would be most appropriate and effective to address both public health and climate change goals?

• Jenelle Krishnamoorthy discussed how public health needs to be a central issue for the next transportation bill, noting that “the transportation bill is a public health bill.”
• Transportation investment is a critical factor that drives where growth is located and how it is designed, shaping how communities develop and how people travel.
• The current incentive structure in transportation funding promotes vehicle ownership and inefficient land-use patterns, despite the significant costs burdens incurred by consumers and local governments. Lawrence Frank explained why the federal government should award performance-based transportation funding judged by the density and accessibility of land-use.
• Patrick Kinney reviewed leading research on the major health risk factors associated with the transportation sector. Motor vehicles account for more than half of major air pollutants—including dangerous particulate matter, nitrous oxide, and other volatile organic compounds—and account for 64 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.
• Long-term exposure to particulate air pollutants from vehicles, especially diesel trucks, leads to premature deaths, cancer, asthma, and other lung ailments. Policies directed at reducing cumulative vehicle emissions, not just emissions per vehicle, will have the greatest public health benefits.
• The importance of compact development patterns and interconnected local transportation networks has been documented in numerous health studies linking transit, bicycle, and pedestrian-accessible communities to lower obesity rates and higher rates of physical activity.
• Thomas Gotschi discussed the potential energy savings, greenhouse gas reductions, and public health benefits measured in the tens of billions of dollars that would be gained from modest financial investments in bike and walking infrastructure.
• Epidemic incidence of obesity causes 300,000 premature deaths every year, costing the U.S. $100 billion in healthcare costs.
• Almost 50 percent of trips are less than 3 miles, or a 20 minute bike ride. Experience indicates a pent-up demand for bicycle lanes and sidewalks where installation of such infrastructure has led to immediate increases in use for commuting, shopping, access to services, social purposes, and school-related travel.
• The barriers to bicycling and walking include safety concerns, perceptions of risk, and a lack of facilities. Dr. Gotschi called for focused investments in safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, highlighting economic benefits seen in cities like Portland, Oregon.