ABSTRACT
Roads should be designed to serve all users—including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders—making different modes of transportation viable and safe. Systematic reviews show low traffic speeds and volumes are strongly related to physical activity for younger children, in part because parents allow them out and about more in areas they perceive to be safer. Reviews mostly found no connection between traffic speeds and volumes and physical activity of older adults. Transportation safety is affected by accidents on roads and security on paths. Policies and practices that treat the street as shared public space and attempt to accommodate the multimodal travel needs of all can enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders alike. Speed limits should be lower on local streets located in densely built areas, residential neighborhoods, and near schools, and where there is a mix of vulnerable road users and car traffic.
