This review examines the effects of active transportation infrastructure and programs. The goal of the review is to synthesize the current literature on the benefits of investing in walking and bicycling, with the specific purpose of quantifying the benefits (if possible) from the wide variety of infrastructure and programmatic interventions by local or regional governments. While the review is focused on walking and bicycling as modes for destination-oriented travel, the authors also consider recreation- and exercise-related outcomes from active transportation investments.
For infrastructure interventions, the authors focus on walking- and bicycling-specific infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes, crossings, sidewalks) but also review to a lesser extent a broad array of interventions that are likely to have an impact on walking and bicycling regardless of their primary purpose (e.g., road diets, lane narrowing). For programmatic interventions, they focus on incentives, education, and outreach efforts in the context of school and workplace travel but also for general all-purpose travel demand management.