Thursday, August 29, 2013

Public health issues often ignored in many transport projects

Tags

Public health issues often ignored in many transport projects -

The highways built in the poorest neighborhoods

A new study from the University of Colorado Denver shows public health issues are often ignored in many transport projects, especially when the main roads are built through low income neighborhoods.

air pollution, crime and many traffic hazards, the study said, point to a serious and persistent gap between public health and planning.

"the effects of the heavy traffic of public health are broad," said study author Carolyn McAndrews, PhD, assistant professor at Denver College of GP architecture and planning, one of the major schools of its kind in the US "studies have shown associations between busy roads and high rates of mortality, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, poor birth outcomes and injuries related to traffic. "

McAndrews said that since many neighborhoods along these major roads tend to be non-white and poor, it was time to begin to see this as a question of justice social.

"in my classes I encourage future transportation planners to think about planning methods can improve the community's health," she said. "This is something that designers like to do if you give them the chance."

The study, published this month in the Journal of Education and Research Planning, focused on occupation Verona Road near Madison, WI which carries 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day 10 percent are heavy trucks. Similar roads exist throughout the country.

Verona Rd. Connects Iowa northeast Wisconsin, passing through small towns before crossing in southwestern Madison, the specific study area.

The district is home to about 2,500 people, many of them lower income. Households in the poorest areas earn less than $ 15,000 per year and 0 percent of residents are minorities. About 20 percent do not own a vehicle. Meanwhile, the district has a number of organizations led by the communities and county and municipal programs.

McAndrews found Verona Rd. Posed many dangers. Not only walked through it dangerous, it also has also suffered from blight, crime and pollution.

The mobilized residents and have won some changes, including bicycle crossings and a pedestrian bridge, but whenever their goals clashed with the Ministry of the objectives of mobility of transport, their concerns were dismissed .

"For example, the Department of Transportation did not consider the installation of noise barriers until a newly elected mayor insisted nor accept an offer from the state Department of Resources Natural to conduct monitoring of air quality in the hallway, "says the study.

According to McAndrews, risks Verona Rd. are common nationwide. Unfortunately neighborhood concerns the effects of these roads with heavy public health traffic rarely change the direction of the planning process.

McAndrews said designers should take the impacts of public health routes into consideration before construction to minimize risks sooner rather than later when it is more difficult to change.

Make public health a priority, she said, demonstrates the future of transportation planning and design.

"I think this kind of shift in thinking would set a new and better standard for communities across the country," said McAndrews.


EmoticonEmoticon