More evidence is piling up that commuting by anything but private automobile can increase happiness, social capital, and health.
Gizmodo’s Kellsey Campbell-Dollaghan has compiled the latest evidence that doing almost anything but driving as part of your commute is less stressful and overall healthier for you. The article cites a recent study by researchers at McGill University in Montreal, published in the October 2015 issue of Transportation Research, that found those who walk as part of their commute, whether the entire distance from home to office or as just a segment of their commute (i.e., home to transit stop), reported walking is the least stressful mode to commute.
For urban planners and sociologists the mode of commute also holds significant impacts for building a cohesive and successful community. Via the article: "A recent study of more than 21,000 people in Scania, Sweden, found that people who commute by car not only are less social–attending fewer social events, family gatherings, or public events–but they have lower trust, with more drivers reporting that they couldn’t trust most people. Meanwhile, active commuters—walking or biking—and even transit commuters reported much higher social participation and trust in others."
Ultimately, getting out of the car may result in a longer and healthier life, with one study from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands finding that the switch from car to bicycle as the mode of commuting "would add between three months to 14 months" to a person's lifespan.
FULL STORY: The Best Ways to Get to Work, According to Science
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability
A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
New York Transit Agency Launches Performance Dashboard
The tool increases transparency about the agency’s performance on a variety of metrics.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.