A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights the potential benefits of implementing walking- and cycling-friendly policies in cities worldwide. Researchers from UCLA and Google conducted this extensive analysis, which covers travel patterns in over 11,500 cities across 121 countries, making it the most comprehensive study on active transportation to date.
The research indicates that increasing urban density and redesigning streets to enhance safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists are key factors that could lead to higher rates of walking and biking. The study suggests that if cities were to expand their bike lane networks and redesign streets similar to those in Copenhagen, Denmark, global walking and biking rates could rise by 412 billion miles annually. This shift could result in a 6% reduction in carbon emissions and generate $435 billion in health benefits each year.
Adam Millard-Ball, lead author and director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, emphasized the influence of local planning decisions on travel behavior. “The way that cities design their streets fundamentally shapes how people get around, especially for short trips,” he said. “In this study, we show that these seemingly local planning choices can collectively drive major shifts in global climate outcomes.”
The research team estimated the impacts of increased bicycle infrastructure for each city, measuring it as miles of bicycle facility per 100 miles of road. Cities already exceeding this level were assumed not to change. The study uses data from Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE), which provides insights into trip numbers, modes, and distances traveled within cities.
To support city leaders and transportation planners in implementing safer city strategies based on these findings, a companion playbook was released alongside the study. It offers data-driven recommendations backed by case studies from eight successful cities globally.
These case studies reveal diverse policy initiatives leading to high shares of walking and cycling without a one-size-fits-all approach. They cover regions traditionally underrepresented in English-language transportation research such as Latin America, South Asia, Japan, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For instance, Nairobi commits at least 20% of its transportation budget to non-motorized transport with input from informal traders for pedestrian improvements. In Osaka’s narrow streets with slow-moving traffic, informal pedestrian infrastructure proves effective alongside formal networks like those in Copenhagen.
Weather conditions also do not significantly impact active travel rates according to expanded data showing high rates even under extreme weather conditions like Montreal’s snow or Kolkata’s heat.
Millard-Ball concludes by stating: “Copenhagen and Amsterdam rightfully get a lot of attention for their world-class street designs… But they’re not the only success stories.” He further notes that cities like Osaka or Buenos Aires have achieved impressive results through different approaches: “You don’t need to replicate Copenhagen to make your city walkable and bike-friendly.”
