Transportation Health Risks in Arkansas

Arkansas

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

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

Exposure to particulate matter from diesel exhaust can cause asthma and respiratory illness and 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.

How close one lives to major roadways can also negatively impact health due to increased exposure to air pollution. Additionally, high-speed and high-traffic roadways can act as barriers in a community, discouraging people from engaging in active transportation such as walking or biking due to safety concerns or unfriendly infrastructure. This can lead to reductions in physical activity and further limit access to medical services, education and job opportunities and fresh or healthy food, particularly in areas without public transportation. 

Studies have shown that improved public transportation access can increase employment opportunities, expand overall economic activity and decrease the amount of money households spend on transportation, in addition to the health and environmental benefits. After housing expenses, vehicle maintenance (including purchasing, upkeep and operation) represents the second-largest expenditure for the average American household. By utilizing public transportation instead of personal vehicles, drivers in large cities could save more than $13,000 a year. However, 45% of Americans lack access to public transit, underscoring the importance of public health and policy interventions.

The risk of exposure to the adverse 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 more likely to be located in areas with higher air and noise pollution (e.g., dense urban areas and areas near highways or busy harbors).

Interventions that have been effective at 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. 
• Establishing more accessible walkways, bike lanes and trails that connect people to essential places like schools and grocery stores. 
• 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 can play a pivotal role by shaping the built environment to support active transportation (e.g., establishing more bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly streets) and congestion mitigation projects to improve air quality and reduce pollution. 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 related to 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.

2021 Infrastructure Report Card: Executive Summary. American Society of Civil Engineers, 2021. https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Transit-2021.pdf.

Bonina, Jared, and Matthew Dickens. Transit Savings Grow as Auto and Gas Prices Increase. APTA Policy Brief. American Public Transportation Association, September 2023. https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/APTA-POLICY-BRIEF-Transit-Savings-09.27.2023.pdf.

Burgos-Rodríguez, Jhoset, Victoria Martinez, Elliot Sperling, Anthony Nicome, and Wendy Heaps. “Making Healthy Connections in Transportation.” Public Roads 87, no. 2 (Summer 2023). https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/Public%20Roads%20Summer%202023.pdf.

Heaps, Wendy, Erin Abramsohn, and Elizabeth Skillen. Public Transportation In The US: A Driver Of Health And Equity. Health Affairs Health Policy Brief, July 29, 2021. 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.