Multi-modal transportation and cities that encourage it through smart design and offering several choices of getting-around methods are greener and seemingly the wave of the future, but it turns out that they also make us healthier.
A study released last week found that people in metro areas with lots of choices—rideshare, public transit, biking, etc.,—enjoy terrific health benefits, including more leisure quality, more exercise, less obesity, higher birth rates, and maybe even longevity. The study looked at 148 U.S. metro areas and measured 12 public health and quality of life indicators against commuting mode share.