Transportation Is a Public Health Issue
The U.S. Department of Transportation to trying to tackle the goal ending childhood obesity with transportation policy reforms. DOT hosted a conference last week called “Keeping Kids Moving” to examine how equitable transportation policy can prevent childhood obesity.
At the conference, DOT Undersecretary Roy Kienitz talked about how transportation decisions that value things like “vehicle throughput” instead of pedestrian safety affect America’s communities. And about how transit decisions that emphasize “minutes-saved” pit outlying suburban commuters against their inner-lying urban neighbors. Recognizing that those policies have had an effect on public health, he said, “Transportation is about more than engineering.”
At CEOs for Cities, we are happy to see that DOT is funding the kinds of projects that will help develop livable communities and provide opportunities for people to walk, bike, or take transit.
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