Surgeon General Warning to Local Governments: Stop Being So Auto-Centric!

No, those will not be the precise words of the forthcoming "Call to Action" by Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, but he will call on cities to "design and build roads and public places to make walking easier, safer, and more pleasant."

1 minute read

September 4, 2015, 7:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Kids Crossing the Street

Vaclav Mach / Shutterstock

It's called active living and it is one of four healthy practices that appear on the Surgeon General's website. It lists five principles, the first being:

  1. Encourage community design and development that supports physical activity.

Michael Russell posted an email he received from Surgeon General Vice Admiral (VADM) Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A on the Transportation for America Blog:

The Call to Action will highlight the significant health burden that exists in the U.S. today due to physical inactivity – contributing to more than 10 percent of the preventable mortality in America today. More specifically, it will make recommendations to a number of key sectors about critical actions they can take to improve community walkability and increase walking throughout the U.S..

It's good to see the Surgeon General get involved in community planning, as he "is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal and public health," notes his webpage.

"Issuing an official call is a significant event for the Surgeon General, and rare — only six others have been issued within the last ten years," writes Russell. 

"The Surgeon General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be launching this report and call-to-action next Wednesday, September 9, at Kaiser Permanente’s offices in Washington, DC., and (Transportation for America) will be there to cover it," writes Russell.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 in T4America Blog

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight