NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Walking is an easy way for most people to be more active, with multiple studies showing taking more steps can help improve long-term health.
However, a new report from StreetLight Data has revealed that people across the U.S. are walking significantly less than they did a few years ago, and the Nashville metro area is one of the places that has seen the sharpest decline.
The number of annual average daily walking trips per 1,000 people in the Nashville metro area, which includes Nashville, Davidson County, Murfreesboro and Franklin, declined by around 45% between 2019 and 2022, according to the study.
For the purpose of the study, one "walking trip" is any trip taken by foot that is more than 250 meters, or about 0.15 miles, from start to finish. Researchers gathered that data using information from mobile devices, GPS systems and more.
While not as sharp a decline nationally, there was an at least 20% decrease in walking activity in nearly every metro area and state that StreetLight analyzed over the three-year period.
Researchers still don't fully understand why less people appear to be walking, but a few factors may be in play. Those influences include the remote work trend stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, quiet downtowns and even factors such as safety, according to StreetLight.
Researchers noted that a simultaneous increase in pedestrian deaths during the three-year period between 2019 and 2022 indicates safety may have worsened even as pedestrian exposure has declined.
In Nashville, for example, 2022 was one of the worst years for pedestrian deaths on record, with 49 people killed in crashes by the end of the year. Officials have pointed to the city's infrastructure as one of the biggest dangers for pedestrians and cyclists.
The area also typically has a low walk score, with a number of areas lacking sidewalks. Another study by Forbes, which included metrics such as access to public transit and walkability, found that Nashville has a very low transit score compared to other major cities.
But it's not just a problem in Nashville. According to StreetLight's report, Tennessee was among the three states with the least amount of people walking in 2022. Tennessee ranked at the very bottom, followed by Alabama and Arkansas.
The drop-off in walking trips at the state level is somewhat geographically distributed, with the largest declines in states throughout the Midwest, as well as some southeastern states. Only 18 places saw walking activity rise in 2022, with most increases in metro areas in California.
Per capita, New York City ranked first for walking activity in 2022 followed by Orlando, Las Vegas, Sand Diego and Boston. However, the data shows most of America is still largely dependent on cars, with vehicle activity only about 4% below 2019 levels nationwide.
Transportation and infrastructure continue to be talking points in Nashville, where Mayor Freddie O'Connell's transition committee recently released a set of recommendations for improving Nashvillians' commute and making the area safer for pedestrians.
Those recommendations center around the acceleration of the development of sidewalks, crosswalks, and a more reliable public transit system, with the possibility of a 2024 transit referendum to take advantage of the high turnout around the presidential election.
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/hbXPA8D
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