Impact of travel mode shift and trip distance on active and non-active transportation in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area in Brazil

Abstract

BackgroundChanges in urban mobility play a major role in transforming metropolitan areas into healthier places. This study quantified the impact of changes in travel mode shift and trip distance on active and non-active transportation of working age adult population of São Paulo.Methods and findingsThrough different scenarios, we estimated the daily time spent in transportation per inhabitant (divided in active and non-active transportation time) and the proportion of inhabitants accumulating 30 min or more of daily active transportation. The replacement of individual for collective motorized modes in long distance trips (> 1000 m) in combination with the substitution of long for short trips positively impacted all outcomes. Compared to the current situation, there was an increase in the active transportation time (from 19.4 to 26.7 min/inhabitant), which also increased the proportion of adults active for transportation (from 27.6% to 35.4%). Additionally, the non-active transportation time decreased (from 67.0 to 26.2 min/inhabitant), which helped to reduce the total time spent in transportation (from 86.4 to 52.9 min/inhabitant).ConclusionTransport and urban planning policies to reduce individual motorized trips and the number of long trips might produce important health benefits, both by increasing population levels of active transportation and reducing the non-active and the total time of daily trips.

Cycling in São Paulo, Brazil (1997–2012): Correlates, time trends and health consequences

“…Given the rapid changes occurring in the region, a smaller HTS was also conducted in 2012 (8115 households; 24,534 people; 46,861 trips), using the same strategy as for the HTS from 1997 (26,278 households; 98,780 people; 163,541 trips) and 2007 (29,957 households; 91,405 people; 169,665 trips). More details concerning HTS methods can be obtained elsewhere ( Sá et al, 2015 ). Briefly, to select the households, Sao Paulo territory was divided into contiguous traffic analysis zones, from which primary study units (households) were randomly selected according to three levels of electricity consumption — a proxy for the number of individuals in the household and income.…”

Health impact modelling of different travel patterns on physical activity, air pollution and road injuries for São Paulo, Brazil

“…It would also generate large travel time savings (Sá et al, 2015), in a city with high levels of traffic congestion and daily accumulated travel time. In other words, contrary to traditional transport goals and policies, we should aim for travel time savings not by moving people faster but reducing necessary distances.…”

“…A better designed and more compact, decentralised and diverse city would support active travel uptake and increase access to other social determinants of health, such as education, work, leisure, green space, services, and health facilities. It would also generate large travel time savings ( Sá et al, 2015 ), in a city with high levels of traffic congestion and daily accumulated travel time. In other words, contrary to traditional transport goals and policies, we should aim for travel time savings not by moving people faster but reducing necessary distances.…”

Appraisal of cycling and pedestrian projects

“…For instance, Fishman et al (2015) used HEAT to quantify the population-level health benefits of cycling in the Netherlands, finding that over 6500 deaths are prevented each year and Dutch people have half-a-year-longer life expectancy thanks to high cycling levels with respect to a non-cycling base. Maizlish et al (2013) , Deenihan and Caulfield (2014) , Götschi et al (2015) , Sá et al (2015) , de Sá et al (2017) and Rodrigues et al (2019) have all performed similar studies using HEAT or HEAT-like approaches.…”