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Video and poll: Our health and destination exercise?

• 1.

  In the longer clip, Halvorsen talks about the benefits of "destination exercise", that is, getting physical activity in your day simply by moving from point A to point B (like biking instead of driving).  What sort of impact on health do you think providing opportunities for "destination exercise" could make?  

  

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    A – Huge impact because this is how most people would choose to get around.
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    B – Signifiant impact. A lot of people would choose this method at least some of the time.
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    C – Some impact. This sort of system would only appeal to a small group of people.
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    D – Little impact. We love the convenience of our cars and wouldn't give them up.
• 2.

  Health problems related to obesity and being overweight will be one of the biggest public health challenges we face in the coming years.  How could our transportation system help encourage people to be more physically active?  

  Recent answers given: (view all in new window)

  • Bike/pedestrian friendliness (i.e., move people, not just cars). Better relationship between transportation and land use so destinations are more reachable in terms of distance/safety.
  • Provide more safe streets. Adopt the Canadian 8-80 concept. More dedicated bike lanes, bike parking. Increased availability of mass transit (buses and LRT) which promote walking. More option for safe walking in all communities. Consider more covered wlakways for winter.
  • Provide safe places to bike along roads so biking will get people to the places they need to be. This is especially necessary just outside of Rochester, Minnesota where the roads are 55MPH and hilly. A bike lane would get these people who live just outside of the city limits to their jobs and stores in Rochester. 75th st nw west of hwy 52 is greatly in need of a wide shoulder on the road as there are many bikers, farm equipment and fast vehicles. It truly is not safe for bicyclists and so they either bike at their own peril or do not us bicycles instead of vehicles to get to their destinations.
  • create safety, opportunities, promotion and helping change the norms about design just for cars. The opportunity to get communities involved to join the transportation effort to transform how we move is so exciting!

by Julie Fiesel on Jun 8, 2011 @ 11:06am

bike trails are okay, but not useful in everyday transportation if they don't lead to jobs and shopping. Bike trails must be built to actually get people somewhere they need to go.  75th Street NW East of  Highway 52 has a very wide paved shoulder.  It is not on the west side of highway 52.  Until that happens, safe biking will not be available for that population.      

by Judy Joiner on May 5, 2011 @ 5:22am

Safe conditions for on-road bicycling can be achieved through great road design and well-engineered bike lanes on roads. Wide bike lanes, separate markings to hold motorists back at intersections, designated traffic lights for bikes, bike boxes, and protections at turns and intersections are all effective. It is quite possible for cyclists to feel very safe on our streets when good design is present -- we just need more examples of this here so people can experience a good biking environment.