A groundbreaking study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights how cities around the globe can dramatically boost walking and cycling by adopting targeted infrastructure and policy changes. Conducted by researchers at UCLA in collaboration with Google, the study draws on travel data from over 11,500 cities in 121 countries. This makes it the most expansive global assessment to date on the potential for active travel—defined as walking or cycling for transportation.
The research reveals that city density and the design of safer, more comfortable streets are the two most powerful drivers of walking and biking. The authors found that if all cities were to match Copenhagen’s level of bike infrastructure and street design, people would walk or cycle an additional 412 billion miles (or 663 billion kilometers) each year. Such a shift could result in a 6% reduction in global carbon emissions and yield $435 million in annual health benefits. Beyond these gains, walk- and bike-friendly policies also reduce traffic-related fatalities, air pollution, and psychological stress associated with commuting.
Adam Millard-Ball, the study’s lead author and director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, emphasized the critical role of local planning. He noted that elements like sidewalks, bike lanes, and even the width of traffic lanes determine whether people choose active travel modes, especially for short trips. These seemingly minor urban planning decisions, when adopted widely, have the power to generate major global environmental and public health outcomes.
The study is notable not only for its findings but also for its scope and methodology. It uses data from Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE), which aggregates anonymized location history from users who have opted in. This tool enabled the researchers to track travel modes and distances across cities of varying sizes, income levels, and regions—offering insight into 41% of the world’s urban population. The scale of this analysis surpasses any prior study in the field by more than 14 times in terms of the number of cities included.
To support policymakers, the research team released a companion playbook for city leaders and transportation planners. This guide turns the study’s findings into actionable strategies, supplemented by real-world case studies from eight cities that have successfully promoted active transportation. Each city showcased has taken a unique approach to urban design, reinforcing that successful implementation does not rely on a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, effective walking and cycling infrastructure can emerge from diverse policy paths and cultural contexts.
Importantly, the research brings attention to regions traditionally underrepresented in English-language transportation studies. Examples include Latin America, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Japan. In Nairobi, Kenya, informal street vendors were involved in shaping pedestrian-friendly improvements, and the city allocates at least 20% of its transportation budget to non-motorized travel. Meanwhile, Osaka, Japan, relies on narrow streets and slower vehicle traffic to encourage informal but effective pedestrian and cycling activity—demonstrating that even cities without formal bike lanes can support active travel.
The study also challenges conventional thinking about the impact of weather on walking and biking habits. High levels of active travel are not confined to cities with mild climates. Places such as Montreal and Copenhagen, which experience heavy snow, and Kolkata and Dhaka, with intense heat and humidity, still report strong walking and cycling rates. This finding opens the door for cities in more extreme climates to consider serious investments in active travel infrastructure without being deterred by seasonal weather conditions.
Millard-Ball stressed that while Copenhagen and Amsterdam are often heralded as the gold standards for pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly infrastructure, they are not the only success stories. Cities like Osaka, Buenos Aires, and Nairobi have all made substantial progress using locally tailored approaches. The core message of the research is that any city, regardless of climate or economic status, can design streets that encourage walking and biking. Success comes not from copying Copenhagen but from committing to smart, context-sensitive policies that prioritize people over cars.
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