Health & Equity Removing Barriers to Walking/Biking in Underserved Areas

Walking and biking are often framed as leisurely activities or fitness routines. But in reality, they’re fundamental to economic mobility, public health, and community equity. For many, particularly in underserved neighborhoods, walking and biking are daily necessities for reaching jobs, schools, and healthcare. Yet poor infrastructure, safety risks, and policy blind spots make these essential forms of transport difficult or dangerous.

In 2025, new research and real-world examples highlight just how transformative active mobility can be. A UCLA-Google study revealed that redesigning streets globally could yield $435 billion in annual health benefits and cut carbon emissions by 6%. But benefits aren’t equally distributed—without targeted equity-focused strategies, low-income and minority communities risk being left behind.

This expanded article unpacks the barriers, opportunities, and solutions that can close the walking and biking equity gap. It serves as a practical toolkit for policymakers, advocates, and communities looking to turn inequitable streets into inclusive pathways to opportunity.

Understanding the Problem: Unequal Access to Active Transportation

Walking & Biking Are Essential, Not Optional

For residents without access to cars—or those living where public transit is sparse—walking and biking are lifelines. They provide the means to commute, shop for groceries, or reach health appointments. Yet these same communities often face:

• Fewer sidewalks and crosswalks
• Insufficient street lighting
• Scarce or unsafe bike lanes
• Disconnected routes between neighborhoods and key services

The result? Low-income residents walk and bike more, but in conditions that are riskier and less reliable, forcing many into costly car dependence or missed opportunities.

The Persistence of Mobility Gaps

• In many U.S. counties, walking and cycling trips make up less than 10% of total transportation.
• Even in neighborhoods where residents walk more, infrastructure lags behind demand, deepening inequities in safety and access.
• The lack of safe routes has ripple effects—missed jobs, reduced educational access, and worse health outcomes.

The Global Potential

If all cities adopted infrastructure like Copenhagen’s cycling network, global walking and biking could increase by 663 billion kilometers annually, translating to:

• 6% reduction in carbon emissions
• $435 billion in global health benefits
• Stronger community resilience to climate and health challenges

Barriers to Active Mobility in Underserved Communities

1. Infrastructure Gaps
   • Missing sidewalks, broken pavement, poor lighting.
   • Lack of protected bike lanes or safe crossings.
2. Policy & Planning Omissions
   • Equity not baked into zoning, funding, or transportation plans.
   • Car-centric policies that prioritize vehicle speed over safety.
3. Awareness & Capacity Barriers
   • Programs like Safe Routes to School (SRTS) improve child safety, yet many underserved schools lack resources to apply for grants.
4. Micromobility Inequities
   • Bike-share and e-scooter systems are expanding, but often require smartphones, credit cards, or app literacy—barriers for many low-income residents.
5. Cultural & Social Norms
   • In some communities, biking is stigmatized as “transportation of the poor.”
   • Lack of walking or biking role models limits social uptake.

Equity-Based Solutions for Walking & Biking

Infrastructure: Building Safe, Connected Spaces

Sidewalks & Lighting

• Investments in sidewalks, curb ramps, and lighting improve accessibility and safety.
• Prioritizing high-need corridors (routes to schools, transit, and clinics) ensures benefits reach underserved areas first.

Complete Streets / Living Streets

• Complete Streets design prioritizes all users: pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers.
• Living Streets in Europe, where cars yield to people, have reduced crashes by 50–70% while revitalizing communities.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

• Proven to reduce child pedestrian injuries by 40% in Texas and cut fatalities by 20% nationwide.
• Boosts school attendance, fitness, and parental confidence in walking/biking.
• Equity fix: Provide grant-writing support and technical assistance to underserved schools.

Policy & Zoning: Embedding Equity in Planning

Zoning Reform

• Reforming restrictive zoning laws enables mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods with housing, jobs, and retail close together.
• Health-focused zoning reforms also address obesity and chronic disease by encouraging daily activity.

Complete Streets Policies

• States and cities can mandate equity criteria in transportation budgets.
• Guarantees investments aren’t concentrated in wealthy, dense areas alone.

Health Integration

• Public health agencies can embed active mobility into obesity, mental health, and chronic disease programs.
• Hospitals and insurers are beginning to fund infrastructure grants to prevent disease through mobility.

Community Programs & Social Support

Resident Engagement

• Walking groups and peer networks make biking and walking socially visible and safer.
• Grassroots campaigns encourage residents to demand better infrastructure.

Micromobility Equity

• Design programs without financial or digital barriers:
  • Cash-based signups
  • SMS unlocking options
  • Discounted memberships for low-income riders
• Use equity planning frameworks (e.g., wPTAL) to guide station placement in underserved areas.

Tactical Urbanism

• Low-cost, community-driven projects like painted crosswalks, temporary bike lanes, and pop-up plazas.
• Proven to shift norms and build momentum for permanent redesigns.

2025 Toolkit: Barriers, Solutions & Metrics

Barrier	Equity-Focused Solution	Outcomes / Evidence
Lack of sidewalks, lighting, crossings	Build sidewalks, lighting, curb ramps, raised crossings	Walkable areas = higher activity, lower injury rates
Underserved schools unaware of SRTS	Outreach & grant-writing support	SRTS reduces child pedestrian injuries by 20–40%
Zoning separates housing, retail, jobs	Land-use & zoning reform	Mixed-use neighborhoods = walkability + health equity
Lack of shared mobility access	Equity-focused hubs with cash/SMS options	Increases adoption; ensures micromobility reaches low-income
Social norms limit active travel	Walking groups, community programs	Peer networks reinforce daily biking/walking habits
Poor infrastructure overall	Complete/Living Streets redesign	Crash reduction of 50–70% in redesigned low-income areas

Impact Examples from 2025

Global Health Benefits

• UCLA-Google research: $435B in health gains annually + 6% fewer emissions if walking/cycling infrastructure is scaled.

San Antonio Bike Network

• Equity-focused bike plan projected to increase biking by 50% within 5 years.
• Economic return of $5 for every $1 spent, especially in neighborhoods without car access.

U.S. Active Travel Trends

• In most counties, walking/biking remains under 10% of trips.
• Highest gaps exist in low-density, underserved areas, underscoring the need for zoning and infrastructure reform.

Safe Routes to School Impact

• In Texas, injuries cut by 40%.
• In NYC and 18 other states, risk dropped by one-third.

Micromobility Equity in Action

• Dockless e-scooters expand access but only succeed when enrollment barriers (e.g., no bank account, no smartphone) are removed.

Urban-Rural Divide

• Research in Denmark highlights rural areas’ fragmented, unsafe bike networks—reminding policymakers that equity must extend beyond city cores.

Walking and biking are not luxuries—they’re essential for economic mobility, public health, and climate resilience. Yet inequities in infrastructure and policy mean that those who rely most on active travel are often the least served.

The evidence is clear: safe sidewalks, protected bike lanes, zoning reform, and equity-focused micromobility programs not only save lives but also generate billions in economic and health returns.

For communities, advocates, and policymakers, the roadmap is straightforward:

1. Prioritize infrastructure in underserved neighborhoods.
2. Embed equity into planning and zoning policies.
3. Support schools and residents with awareness, engagement, and resources.
4. Track metrics—from injuries and carbon savings to participation and equity impacts.

With these steps, active mobility can become a force for fairness and health equity, transforming everyday walking and biking into engines of opportunity.

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