CPSTF’s new recommendations also acknowledge ongoing challenges and gaps in our knowledge of how the built environment impacts health. For example, we still do not fully understand which combined transportation and land use interventions will be most effective at promoting physical activity, nor do we know how effectiveness will vary depending on the context. We also need more research on if and how these impacts differ depending on population characteristics like race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Finally, implementing these strategies in rural settings will require innovative approaches to overcome long travel distances and shortages of public transit infrastructure. Nonetheless, these recommendations open the door to powerful partnerships between transportation, land use, and public health advocates and practitioners.
Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition are excited to continue providing support, advocacy, and technical assistance for transportation and land use strategies like the ones recommended by CPSTF. We are enthusiastic that these recommendations will motivate states, regions, and municipalities nationwide to better address connections between the built environment and physical activity in the pursuit of creating healthier, more livable places.