"The authors of the study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, used data from Google to determine walking and cycling rates in 11,587 cities in 121 countries, a far larger sample size than in any previous research. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they found that cities with lots of cyclists and pedestrians tend to be dense and filled with bike lanes. The authors also found that higher gas prices meaningfully increase national walking and cycling rates."
"You need carrots and sticks, says John Pucher, an emeritus urban transportation researcher at Rutgers University, who was not involved in the study. You need incentives for cycling and walking [combined with] disincentives to car use. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today."
Data from Google covering 11,587 cities in 121 countries show walking and cycling rates vary widely, with some cities extremely low and others very high. High walking and biking correlates with urban density and extensive bike-lane networks. Higher national gas prices are associated with meaningful increases in walking and cycling rates. Steep terrain can discourage cycling, but climate—including cold winters, hot summers, and precipitation—does not strongly limit walking and biking; windy and rainy cities can still be bike-friendly. Poverty can drive high walking rates by constraining car ownership. Widespread bike networks could substantially reduce private-vehicle emissions.
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