By Charles Pekow — “Physical activity increases if safe infrastructure for cyclists is provided,” concludes a study published in the Journal of Transport and Health. It also stated that “(p)romoting active travel and public transport increases physical activity.”
Which Transport Policies Increase Physical Activity of the Whole of Society? A Systematic Review performed a meta-analysis of existing studies on the impact of transportation policies on physical activity. It found that policies work best at increasing bicycling when done in a comprehensive way, such as combining infrastructure improvements with education.
Adding bike paths sure helped, but research was not able to say how much striping bike lanes did. Providing secure parking seemed to encourage riding but the evidence doesn’t quantify it. Adding bike racks seemed less encouraging.
Find the report here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140522001608
