The American Public Health Association (APHA) recently showcased how cross-sector partnerships between transportation and health in Minnesota and Wisconsin are working to ensure communities have access to safe and active transportation options.
Senior program manager Katherine Robb, of the environmental health division of APHA’s Center for Public Health Policy, stated, “APHA encourages transportation and public health collaboration so that health and equity become transportation planning priorities in all communities.”
Among APHA’s transportation collaborations are the Plan4Health project, the Bicycling & Walking in the US Benchmarking Report website, and the US Department of Transportation’s online Transportation and Health Tool. The Transportation and Health Tool was released in 2015 and helps transportation practitioners include health in planning and policy decisions.
Image Source: Ippei Naoi
APHA’s two new Transportation and Health Stories from the Field describe partnership projects in Wisconsin’s East Central Region and the state of Minnesota that follow the ideas that inspired the Transportation and Health Tool.
“Planning with a Public Health Focus – Connecting the Dots in the East Central Region of Wisconsin” explains how the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission works to find common values with public health departments and nonprofit partners. All of these groups then move forward together to include public health in transportation plans and to support active living options. The first cross-sector collaboration in this region passed the important Safe Routes to School program in 2005, providing funding for the development of safe environments that would encourage kids to walk and bike to school. The program led to further efforts of healthy transportation such as a regional bicycle and pedestrian plan, community engagement events, and a multi-sector workshop on the Transportation and Health Tool.
“Minnesota Health and Transportation – Partners for Change” details collaborative efforts of the Minnesota departments of Transportation and Health towards the goal of health equity. Fruitful initiatives include Complete Streets policies, the statewide pedestrian planning framework, and a Statewide Bicycle System Plan. “We think it’s important to highlight projects that demonstrate the values that sectors share and the mutual benefits that result from working together,” says Robb.
Fortunately for the health equity goal, other areas in the country are making the transportation and public health connection as well. APHA’s Case Studies about community design in Los Angeles County and Philadelphia, public transportation in California and Ohio, and walking and biking programs in NYC are available online to showcase our potential to create safe, healthy, active, and accessible transportation options for everyone.
Feature Image Source: F16-ISO100 – stock.adobe.com
