Disparities in Streetscape Environments in Communities across the United States

Introduction: Research has shown that specific features of the built environment facilitate walking and biking in multiple populations. This is the first study to employ direct observations of street segments nationally in the U.S. to document disparities in access to such features.

Methods: Trained field staff observed 30,459 street segments in 471 communities. Segments were randomly sampled in each community with probability proportional to population size of the census block group. Data were collected on land uses, traffic and pedestrian-relevant characteristics, exercise opportunities, and aesthetics.

Results: A sidewalk was present on 46.7% of the segments, a marked crosswalk on 10.1%, and any bike lane on 1.7%. Just 4.4% of segments contained outdoor public space (e.g., parks). Prevalence of these features significantly increased with greater median income and urbanization in bivariate analyses. Associations with community racial/ethnic composition were mixed and interactions were identified; in preliminary analyses, streets in suburban and rural areas with predominantly (>66%) non-Hispanic white populations were significantly less likely to have sidewalks (adjusted prevalence ratios 0.68 and 0.48, respectively) compared to others. Streets in the South region generally had fewer pedestrian-friendly features compared to the West region, adjusting for covariates. Additional findings on infrastructure, transit, aesthetics, and physical disorder will be presented.

Conclusions:  Inequities across community built environments affect residents’ ability to engage in active transportation and increase daily physical activity.  Streets are particularly less accessible in areas where there is increased risk for inactivity and obesity, such as in rural and lower-income communities and in the South.