| Every three days someone is hit while walking or bicycling in Lansing, Michigan, on average. (Lansing Police Department Traffic Crash Reporting System Data) |
| In Lansing, 2.45% of trips are by foot and 0.42% by bike. vs. In Ann Arbor, 15.79% of trips are by foot, and in Madison 3.19% of trips are by bike. (U.S. Census Decennial, 2000) |
Why Make Lansing Walk and Bike Friendly?
| Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force, c/o Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council P.O. Box 17164, Lansing, MI 48901 517-214-5684 |
These are the top 10 reasons for making Lansing a walk and bike friendly city.
| The walkability and bikeability of our city shapes our everyday experiences. |
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1. Ease Residents’ Expenses With the rising cost of gasoline, non-motorized travel
options allow people to make fewer car trips. This adds up to immediate savings for
individuals and families and less traffic on the roadways. A 2007 MSU study confirms
that building walk and bike friendly features leads to more walking and bicycling. 1
2. Ease Employers’ Expenses Poor exercise habits of employees can result in
between 10% and 21% greater employer health care cost. 2 Businesses that provide
opportunities for employees to walk and bicycle during the workday report a 28%
reduction in sick-leave absenteeism, 26% reduction in use of health care benefits, and
30% reduction in worker’s compensation claims and disability management. 3
3. Ease Government Expenses Investing in non-motorized networks helps
communities ease the tremendous expense of maintaining roadways and automobile
parking facilities. Recent studies show that creating non-motorized travel options helps
manage traffic demand, saves money on road and parking facilities, reduces
congestion, and saves residents money. 4
4. Increase Sales for Businesses Sales have increased dramatically as a result of
walkability improvements in communities across the nation. Walkability features in
downtown Lodi, CA has led to a 30% overall increase in sales for downtown businesses,
a drop in the vacancy rate from 18% to 6%, and the addition of 60 new businesses. 5
Bike friendly communities also benefit from significant recreation and tourism spending.
6
5. Improve Physical Health The leading cause of death in Michigan is heart disease,
with approximately 25,000 deaths per 100,000.7 An estimated 32% to 35% of all deaths
in the United States attributable to coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and diabetes
could have been prevented if all persons were highly active. 8 In Ingham County, two in
three residents are active fewer than 30 minutes per day; two in three are overweight,
and 20% are obese. 9 Research continues to show a strong relationship between
walkability and bikeability and residents’ overall physical health. 10,11
6. Ease Healthcare Costs In 2003, the Michigan Department of Community Health
estimated that if just 1 in 20 sedentary Michigan adults became physically active,
Michigan employers would save $575 million per year in healthcare costs and insurance
premiums. In 2005, the Michigan Fitness Foundation reported that physical inactivity
costs the state of Michigan almost $9 billion annually, through higher health insurance
premiums, lost productivity, and state-funded Medicaid payments.
7. Improve Air Quality In Michigan, vehicles create 30% of Michigan’s ozone-forming
pollutants.12 These pollutants trigger asthma and other respiratory problems. 13 The
Lansing area currently exceeds the EPA’s Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone.
2006 studies show that the more walkable a community, the lower the vehicle
emissions. 11
8. Reduce Our Carbon Footprint Global warming is increasing, and the impacts will
only get worse if we don’t start cutting carbon emissions. 14 Between 1960 and 2001,
Michigan’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuels increased by 46%— primarily as a result of
oil combustion for transportation. 15
9. Protect Our Children and Seniors Of the 13 pedestrians and bicyclists killed by
cars in Lansing between 2000 and 2006, most were children and seniors. Many Lansing
Public School students live too close to school for bussing, yet their routes lack
sidewalks and crosswalks and force them to cross dangerous intersections and high-
speed roads. Most Lansing schools, businesses, libraries, community centers, and even
parks cannot be safely reached on foot or bike. More than 50% of older Americans who
do not drive stay home on a given day because they lack transportation options. 16
10. Attract Residents 79% of Americans rate “sidewalks and places to take walks” as
a top consideration in choosing where to live. 17 Recent college graduates from
Michigan schools say that safe streets and neighborhoods, walk-able streets, and
affordable living are their top factors in choosing where to live. 18
options allow people to make fewer car trips. This adds up to immediate savings for
individuals and families and less traffic on the roadways. A 2007 MSU study confirms
that building walk and bike friendly features leads to more walking and bicycling. 1
2. Ease Employers’ Expenses Poor exercise habits of employees can result in
between 10% and 21% greater employer health care cost. 2 Businesses that provide
opportunities for employees to walk and bicycle during the workday report a 28%
reduction in sick-leave absenteeism, 26% reduction in use of health care benefits, and
30% reduction in worker’s compensation claims and disability management. 3
3. Ease Government Expenses Investing in non-motorized networks helps
communities ease the tremendous expense of maintaining roadways and automobile
parking facilities. Recent studies show that creating non-motorized travel options helps
manage traffic demand, saves money on road and parking facilities, reduces
congestion, and saves residents money. 4
4. Increase Sales for Businesses Sales have increased dramatically as a result of
walkability improvements in communities across the nation. Walkability features in
downtown Lodi, CA has led to a 30% overall increase in sales for downtown businesses,
a drop in the vacancy rate from 18% to 6%, and the addition of 60 new businesses. 5
Bike friendly communities also benefit from significant recreation and tourism spending.
6
5. Improve Physical Health The leading cause of death in Michigan is heart disease,
with approximately 25,000 deaths per 100,000.7 An estimated 32% to 35% of all deaths
in the United States attributable to coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and diabetes
could have been prevented if all persons were highly active. 8 In Ingham County, two in
three residents are active fewer than 30 minutes per day; two in three are overweight,
and 20% are obese. 9 Research continues to show a strong relationship between
walkability and bikeability and residents’ overall physical health. 10,11
6. Ease Healthcare Costs In 2003, the Michigan Department of Community Health
estimated that if just 1 in 20 sedentary Michigan adults became physically active,
Michigan employers would save $575 million per year in healthcare costs and insurance
premiums. In 2005, the Michigan Fitness Foundation reported that physical inactivity
costs the state of Michigan almost $9 billion annually, through higher health insurance
premiums, lost productivity, and state-funded Medicaid payments.
7. Improve Air Quality In Michigan, vehicles create 30% of Michigan’s ozone-forming
pollutants.12 These pollutants trigger asthma and other respiratory problems. 13 The
Lansing area currently exceeds the EPA’s Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone.
2006 studies show that the more walkable a community, the lower the vehicle
emissions. 11
8. Reduce Our Carbon Footprint Global warming is increasing, and the impacts will
only get worse if we don’t start cutting carbon emissions. 14 Between 1960 and 2001,
Michigan’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuels increased by 46%— primarily as a result of
oil combustion for transportation. 15
9. Protect Our Children and Seniors Of the 13 pedestrians and bicyclists killed by
cars in Lansing between 2000 and 2006, most were children and seniors. Many Lansing
Public School students live too close to school for bussing, yet their routes lack
sidewalks and crosswalks and force them to cross dangerous intersections and high-
speed roads. Most Lansing schools, businesses, libraries, community centers, and even
parks cannot be safely reached on foot or bike. More than 50% of older Americans who
do not drive stay home on a given day because they lack transportation options. 16
10. Attract Residents 79% of Americans rate “sidewalks and places to take walks” as
a top consideration in choosing where to live. 17 Recent college graduates from
Michigan schools say that safe streets and neighborhoods, walk-able streets, and
affordable living are their top factors in choosing where to live. 18
Top 10 Reasons
Research Footnotes
1) Igor Vojnovic’s study reported in Engaged Scholar Magazine, 2007 backs up a 2005
study by John Pucher and Ralph Buehler, reported in Transport Policy 13 (2006).
2) Chenoweth et al., 2001
3) American Journal of Health Promotion, 2003
4) Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized travel for achieving TDM Goals by Todd
Litman, published in Transportation Research Record, No. 1441 (“Nonmotorized
Transportation Around the World”), 1994, pp. 134-140 and online at www.vtpi.org/nmt-tdm.
pdf. Also, Economic Value of Walkability by Todd Litman, published in Transportation
Research Record 1828, Transportation Research Board (www.trb.org), 2003, pp. 3-11, and
available online at www.vtpi.org/walkability.pdf.
5) The Economic Benefits of Walkable Communities, by the Local Government
Commission. Online at www.lgc.org/freepub/PDF/Land_Use/focus/walk_to_money.pdf
6) Participants in the 1999 Michigander ride spent $207,000 in conjunction with the event,
of which $103,000 was spent in the Pere Marquette Trail area during the event, including
500 hotel nights. Study of 1999 Michigander Ride and Its Participants: A Focus on Midland
County’s Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, by Vogt et al, 2000. Online at www.prr.msu.
edu/miteim/econimpact/michigander.pdf. Midwest Tandem Rally participants spent
$260,000 in conjunction with the event, of which $218,000 was spent during the rally,
including 1,100 hotel nights. Study of 1999 Midwest Tandem Rally and Its Participants: A
Focus on Midland County’s Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, by Vogt et al, 2000. Online at www.prr.
msu.edu/miteim/econimpact/tandem.pdf
7) Michigan Department of Community Health-MDCH, 2000.
8) Center for Disease Control, 2007.
9) Ingham County Health Department, Behavior Risk Factor Survey, 2003
10) In 2004, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported that in Marin, CA, 64% more kids
were walking to school within two years of a Safe Routes to School effort that included
infrastructure changes and encouragement. In 2007, a RWJF study showed that people
living in neighborhoods with a mix of shops and businesses within easy walking distance
have a 35% lower risk of obesity.
11) Two studies by Lawrence Frank, published in 2006 in the Winter 2005/2006 Journal of
the American Planning Association show the relationship between walkability, physical
activity, and physical health (taking into account other variables such as age, income,
education, and ethnicity), summarized online at www.planning.
org/newsreleases/2006/ftp020706.htm
12) United States Environmental Protection Agency.
13) Asthma Initiative of Michigan, 2007
14) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch
15) U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. 2006. The Carbon Boom: National
and State Trends in Carbon Dioxide Emissions since 1960. Washington, DC.
16) Complete Streets: Improve Mobility for Older Americans, 2007
17) In 2002, The Surface Transportation Policy Project commissioned a study called
American’s Current Attitudes toward Walking and Creating More Walkable Communities.
One of the main findings was that Americans would like to walk more than they are, but
they are held back by high auto speeds and dangerous intersections, and community
layout that makes in inconvenient to walk to shops, restaurants, and other places of
interest. www.transact.org/library/reports_pdfs/pedpoll.pdf
18) Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 2004
study by John Pucher and Ralph Buehler, reported in Transport Policy 13 (2006).
2) Chenoweth et al., 2001
3) American Journal of Health Promotion, 2003
4) Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized travel for achieving TDM Goals by Todd
Litman, published in Transportation Research Record, No. 1441 (“Nonmotorized
Transportation Around the World”), 1994, pp. 134-140 and online at www.vtpi.org/nmt-tdm.
pdf. Also, Economic Value of Walkability by Todd Litman, published in Transportation
Research Record 1828, Transportation Research Board (www.trb.org), 2003, pp. 3-11, and
available online at www.vtpi.org/walkability.pdf.
5) The Economic Benefits of Walkable Communities, by the Local Government
Commission. Online at www.lgc.org/freepub/PDF/Land_Use/focus/walk_to_money.pdf
6) Participants in the 1999 Michigander ride spent $207,000 in conjunction with the event,
of which $103,000 was spent in the Pere Marquette Trail area during the event, including
500 hotel nights. Study of 1999 Michigander Ride and Its Participants: A Focus on Midland
County’s Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, by Vogt et al, 2000. Online at www.prr.msu.
edu/miteim/econimpact/michigander.pdf. Midwest Tandem Rally participants spent
$260,000 in conjunction with the event, of which $218,000 was spent during the rally,
including 1,100 hotel nights. Study of 1999 Midwest Tandem Rally and Its Participants: A
Focus on Midland County’s Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, by Vogt et al, 2000. Online at www.prr.
msu.edu/miteim/econimpact/tandem.pdf
7) Michigan Department of Community Health-MDCH, 2000.
8) Center for Disease Control, 2007.
9) Ingham County Health Department, Behavior Risk Factor Survey, 2003
10) In 2004, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported that in Marin, CA, 64% more kids
were walking to school within two years of a Safe Routes to School effort that included
infrastructure changes and encouragement. In 2007, a RWJF study showed that people
living in neighborhoods with a mix of shops and businesses within easy walking distance
have a 35% lower risk of obesity.
11) Two studies by Lawrence Frank, published in 2006 in the Winter 2005/2006 Journal of
the American Planning Association show the relationship between walkability, physical
activity, and physical health (taking into account other variables such as age, income,
education, and ethnicity), summarized online at www.planning.
org/newsreleases/2006/ftp020706.htm
12) United States Environmental Protection Agency.
13) Asthma Initiative of Michigan, 2007
14) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch
15) U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. 2006. The Carbon Boom: National
and State Trends in Carbon Dioxide Emissions since 1960. Washington, DC.
16) Complete Streets: Improve Mobility for Older Americans, 2007
17) In 2002, The Surface Transportation Policy Project commissioned a study called
American’s Current Attitudes toward Walking and Creating More Walkable Communities.
One of the main findings was that Americans would like to walk more than they are, but
they are held back by high auto speeds and dangerous intersections, and community
layout that makes in inconvenient to walk to shops, restaurants, and other places of
interest. www.transact.org/library/reports_pdfs/pedpoll.pdf
18) Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 2004
| Corbis Royalty Free Photography |
| Photo by Steve Longrove |
| Photo by Heidi Potter |
| Photo by Dan Burden |
| Making Lansing, Michigan Accessible and Walk & Bike Friendly! |