Citation

Gase LN, Barragan NC, Simon PA, Jackson RJ, Kuo T. Prev. Med. 2015; 72: 70-75.

Affiliation

Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 3530 Wilshire Blvd, 8th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA; Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 640 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90024-4142, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.12.033

PMID

25572622

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Policies to promote active transportation are emerging as a best practice to increase physical activity, yet relatively little is known about public opinion on utilizing transportation funds for such investments. This study sought to assess public awareness of and support for investments in walking and biking infrastructure in Los Angeles County.

METHOD: In the fall of 2013, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducted a random digit dial telephone survey of registered voters in the region. The survey asked respondents to report on the presence and importance of walking and biking infrastructure in their community, travel behaviors and preferences, and demographics.

RESULTS: One thousand and five interviews were completed (response rate 20%, cooperation rate 54%). The majority of participants reported walking, biking, and bus/rail transportation investments as being important. In addition, participants reported a high level of support for redirecting transportation funds to active transportation investment - the population average was 3.28 (between 'strongly' and 'somewhat' support) on a 4 point Likert scale.

CONCLUSION: Voters see active transportation infrastructure as being very important and support redirecting funding to improve the infrastructure. These findings can inform policy-decisions and planning efforts in the jurisdiction.

Language: en