What’s this about?
The Built Environment & Health (BEH) project is an interdisciplinary program of research at Columbia University. Led by epidemiologist Andrew Rundle, BEH uses spatial data to examine the implications of the built environment, including land use, public transit, and housing, for physical activity, diet, obesity, and other aspects of health. With a focus on New York City, BEH research will inform public policy to promote health in the city and metropolitan area. BEH is affiliated with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program at Columbia.
Neighborhood Walkability
A Collaboration with the Project for Public Spaces
Recent research links health outcomes to characteristics of the local built environment such as neighborhood walkability and the availability of supermarkets and recreational facilities. Much of this work is based on the contrast between urban or neotraditional design (characterized by mixed land use, dense settlements, access to public transit, and a gridded street pattern) and suburban or sprawl-type contexts (segregated land uses, low population density, and low street connectivity). Within New York City, this urban-suburban contrast may not tell us very much about how neighborhoods differ. Most New Yorkers live in areas that are highly walkable according to standard definitions, but not all neighborhoods are equally attractive to pedestrians.
Developing more detailed measures of walkability that are tailored for an urban environment may help solve a specific puzzle: low-income urban populations live in highly walkable environments, but they have high rates of obesity and related health problems. If low-income neighborhoods have features that discourage pedestrian activity, this may help explain disparities in physical activity, weight, and health outcomes.
To learn more about how neighborhoods differ, ISERP summer interns Eric Feder, Nakita Raghunath, and Ben Wasserman have been working on a multi-method study combining quantitative and qualitative evidence. With the help of GIS Analysts James Quinn and Marnie Purciel, they have analyzed quantitative measures of walkability from BEH’s extensive archive of spatial data. Indicators include street trees, sidewalk cafes, retail and services, and measures of crime and traffic safety.
In addition, in collaboration with the Project for Public Spaces, Eric, Nakita, and Ben collected and analyzed observational data on a sample of blocks across the city. PPS has a long history of research on street life and public spaces, dating from William H. Whyte’s classic study The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Drawing on this experience, PPS and BEH designed a protocol for observation that assessed traffic and pedestrian safety, street furniture, and other features that make neighborhoods safer, more convenient, and more attractive for pedestrians. During an intensive field period in July, interns from ISERP and PPS conducted observation on a total of 76 block faces, representing matched pairs of highly-walkable blocks in poor and nonpoor neighborhoods.
BEH investigator Kathy Neckerman is working with the interns on analysis and writing for a paper to be sent to an academic journal. In addition, the team will prepare a report on neighborhood walkability to be circulated to New York City’s Community Boards.
Thanks are due to the ISERP Summer Intern program for providing vital support for this research. Thanks also to Silvett Garcia, who was affiliated last year with BEH and PPS, for facilitating the collaboration between these two.
