An important limitation related to studying the relationships between different health conditions and the transportation network is that correlations do not necessarily prove causation. Many illnesses and health conditions reveal themselves in different ways in different people and result from intersections of multiple factors and risk modifiers. The findings of this study should not be interpreted as asserting that the transportation system is the only factor that determines health outcomes in the community. At the same time, scientific evidence asserts that even small increases in active transportation could lead to significant decreases in chronic disease and increases in overall public health, which makes this a unique opportunity for CUUATS to facilitate positive change in the health of the community. Completed 2014.
Health Impact Assessment
Transportation networks have well-documented connections to population health through the ways they encourage or discourage different transportation mode choices and land use decisions. This report is the first step toward incorporating population health in our transportation planning decisions and the Long Range Transportation Plan: Sustainable Choices 2040, currently underway and due to go into effect in 2015.