Transportation Health Risks in United States

United States

This measure aims to capture populations that are disproportionately affected by transportation issues that can negatively impact health, including:

• Diesel particulate matter exposure.
• Transportation barriers.
• Traffic proximity and volume.

Exposure to particulate matter from diesel exhaust can cause asthma and respiratory illness, as well as worsen existing heart or lung disease, leading to an increased number of hospital visits and premature deaths. One study estimated that exposure to ambient particulate matter caused 131,000 premature deaths in the United States in 2015, 21,000 of which were attributable to transportation.

Transportation barriers examine the average cost and time spent on transportation. Having access to reliable transportation allows people to engage in work and learning opportunities as well as access health care and social activities. Transportation can be expensive; American households spent an average of $12,295 on transportation in 2022. 

How close one lives to major roadways can also negatively impact health due to increased exposure to ambient noise, noxious gasses and particulate matter. Additionally, high-speed and high-traffic roadways can act as barriers in a community, discouraging people from engaging in active transportation, which can cause reduced physical activity and access to nutritious foods.

The risk of exposure to the negative effects of transportation is higher among:

• Black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander individuals compared with non-Hispanic white individuals. 
• Lower-income households compared with higher-income households. 
• Children and older adults.
• Those living in communities with low socioeconomic status. These communities are overrepresented in areas with higher levels of air and noise pollution (e.g., dense urban areas, areas near highways or marine ports).

Interventions that have been effective in mitigating transportation barriers and pollution while promoting safer access to public transit include:

• Implementing Complete Streets policies that promote access to public transit and street safety for all people who walk, bike, take public transit, use mobility devices and drive. 
• Subsidizing transportation costs through student passes or employer-provided transportation to reduce financial barriers to accessing transportation. 
• Establishing more accessible paths that connect people to essential places like schools and grocery stores with walkways, bike lanes and trails. 
• Promoting the adoption of electric buses and other heavy-duty clean energy vehicles, aiming for a complete transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2050.

Additionally, urban planning plays a pivotal role in promoting public health by shaping the built environment to support active transportation (e.g., bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly streets) and air quality and pollution control. New buildings and facilities can limit the time at-risk individuals spend near roads. For instance, a school site may position maintenance and storage facilities near the road while maximizing the distance between the road and playgrounds, athletic fields and classrooms.

Healthy People 2030 has several objectives on environmental health and transportation, including:

• Reducing the amount of toxic pollutants released into the environment.
• Reducing the number of days people are exposed to unhealthy air. 
• Increasing the number of trips to work made by mass transit.
• Increasing the proportion of adults who walk or bike to get places.

Heaps, Wendy, Erin Abramsohn, and Elizabeth Skillen. “Public Transportation In The US: A Driver Of Health And Equity.” Health Affairs, July 29, 2021, 6. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20210630.810356/full/.

Tessum, Christopher W., Joshua S. Apte, Andrew L. Goodkind, Nicholas Z. Muller, Kimberley A. Mullins, David A. Paolella, Stephen Polasky, et al. “Inequity in Consumption of Goods and Services Adds to Racial–Ethnic Disparities in Air Pollution Exposure.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 13 (March 26, 2019): 6001–6. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1818859116.