This document discusses how urban design can impact public health outcomes like obesity rates. It notes that as cities became more automobile-oriented since the 1950s, obesity rates in the U.S. have risen dramatically. The document argues that more walkable, bikeable and transit-oriented development can help address obesity and other issues by making daily physical activity easier and driving less necessary. It provides strategies like concentrating destinations within walking distance of each other and investing in safe biking and frequent public transportation.

1. Sex,
Neuroscience,
and Walkable Urbanism
Jeffrey Tumlin
Rail~Volution
September 22, 2014

9. Dallas Morning News http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20111016-highfive_main.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/HighFive_MAIN.jpg

10. Dallas Morning News http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/20121125-plan-ahead-then-navigate-lbj-freeway-construction.ece

11. A strong conviction that something must be done
is the parent of many bad measures
Daniel Webster
Ne
lso

13. Ne
lso

14. Ne
lso

15. Object Thinking

16. Systems Thinking
Ne
lso

17. Systems Thinking
Systems-Thinking.org
Source: systemsthinking.org

19. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
All slides, Centers for Disease Control

20. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1986
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%

21. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1987
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%

22. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1988
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%

23. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1989
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%

24. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1990
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%

25. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1991
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

26. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1992
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

27. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1993
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

28. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1994
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

29. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1995
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

30. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1996
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%

31. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1997
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%

32. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1998
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%

33. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1999
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%

34. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2000
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%

35. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2001
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%

36. (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2002
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%

37. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2003
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%

38. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2004
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%

39. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2005
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%
≥30%

40. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2006
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%
≥30%

41. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2007
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%
≥30%

42. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2008
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%
≥30%

43. Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2009
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)
No Data
<10%
10-14%
15-19%
20-24%
25-29%
≥30%

48. Source: http://teachingmedialiteracy.pbworks.com/AnalyzingPrintAds

52. Image: A Tale of a Few Cities: How Sprawl Affects Your Waistline, By Chris Woolston, Consumer Health Interactive

57. Image source: Dan Burden

58. Image source: Dan Burden

59. Image source: Diabetes Daily

60. Mixed message?
Image source: Carbolic Smokeball
Image source: Diabetes Daily

61. 1. Measure What Matters

62. Level of Service A

63. Level of Service F

64. Traffic engineer:
F
A
Photo: http://www.partyearth.com/boston/festivals/berklee-beantown-jazz-festival-1/the-2013- berklee-beantown-jazz-festival-1/
Photo: John Welch, http://thettablog.blogspot.com/2010/05/boston- may-22-noon-very-bright.html

65. Traffic engineer:
F
A
A
F
Economist:
Photo: http://www.partyearth.com/boston/festivals/berklee-beantown-jazz-festival-1/the-2013- berklee-beantown-jazz-festival-1/
Photo: John Welch, http://thettablog.blogspot.com/2010/05/boston- may-22-noon-very-bright.html

68. 2. Use the Right Tools, and Use them Correctly

69. “Allmodelsare wrong, but some are useful.”
George E. P. Box,
Empirical Model-Building and Response Surfaces(1987)

71. Induced and Latent Demand
Congestion
WidenRoadway
Faster Driving
More People
Drive

72. Despite recovery, driving rates continue to decline since peak in 2005
1997
Peak: 2005
2014

73. Source: ZipcarAnnual Millennial Study, February 2013. http://www.slideshare.net/Zipcar_Inc/millennial- slide-share-final-16812323

74. Source: ZipcarAnnual Millennial Study, February 2013. http://www.slideshare.net/Zipcar_Inc/millennial-slide-share-final- 16812323

75. The rhetoric hasn’t changed since the simplistic choices of 1957
Source: Dallas Fort Worth Freeways: Texas Sized Ambition, by Oscar Slotboom. Dfwfreeways.com

78. 3. Put the Needs of Daily Life within Walking Distance…and make the walk delightful

80. 4. Make Cycling Safe and Pleasant for All Ages

82. 83
Source: Roger Geller

83. 84
Interested but Concerned
Not attracted by bike lanes
Not comfortable in traffic
Will ride in low-volume, low-speed conditions (boulevards, off-street)
Enthused & ConfidentComfortable in traffic with appropriate facilitiesPrefer shorter trip distances
No way No How
Strong & FearlessWill ride regardless of facilitiesTrip distance not an issue
Source: City of Portland Survey

85. 5. Make Transit Fast, Frequent, Reliable and Dignified

86. Transit is fast, frequent, reliable and dignified

88. 6. Adopt the Right Street Design Manual

90. 7. Be Smart About Parking

91. Smart Meters
92

92. Smart Technology
93

93. Right Price
94

94. Right Time

95. Invest Revenue 96

96. Unbundle and Share

97. School
Shop
Play
Work
P
P
P
P
P
P
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T

98. Mixed Use, Park Once District
School
Work
Play
Shop
P
T
T
Results:
•
<½ the parking
•
<½ the land area
•
¼ the arterial trips
•
1/6ththe arterial turning movements
•
<¼ the vehicle miles traveled

99. 8. Create a New Vision

101. Source: http://remove-your-crown.tumblr.com/

102. It’s not sustainable if it’s not beautiful

103. NELSONNYGAARDCONSULTING ASSOCIATES © 2013
Jeffrey Tumlin
116 New Montgomery Street, Suite 500
San Francisco CA 94105
415-284-1544
jtumlin@nelsonnygaard.com
@jeffreytumlin

104. For More Information
Jeffrey Tumlin
Mobility Accessibility Sustainability
116 New Montgomery St, Ste 500
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel: 415-284-1544
jtumlin@nelsonnygaard.com
www.nelsonnygaard.com