Health & Place 14 (2008) 85–95 Travel behavior and objectively measured urban design variables: Associations for adults traveling to work Hannah M. Badland à , Grant M. Schofield, Nick Garrett Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand Received 14 December 2006; received in revised form 30 April 2007; accepted 8 May 2007 Abstract Mixed land use, residential density, street connectivity, and commute distance have been identified as potential variables affecting transport-related physical activity (TPA) behaviors. In this study, objectively measured urban design variables and TPA behaviors for adults who commuted to an occupation (n ¼ 364) were examined. Utilitarian walking and cycling for other purposes were not investigated. Commute distance was negatively associated with TPA behaviors. Logistic regression analysis identified respondents who commuted through the most connected streets were more likely to engage in TPA modes to access their occupation (OR ¼ 6.9) when compared to those traveling along the least connected. No other associations between TPA behaviors and urban variables were shown. Improved street connectivity and reduced commute distances will likely support TPA. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: GIS; Urban design; Transport-related physical activity Introduction Transport-related physical activity (TPA), such as walking or cycling for travel purposes, is now viewed as a potentially sustainable solution to reduce many public health and transport problems. Increases in TPA engagement may reduce traffic congestion, CO 2 emissions, and traffic infrastruc- ture costs (Killingsworth and Schmid, 2001), while increasing overall physical activity levels (Badland and Schofield, in press) and enhancing perceptions of safety and aesthetics in neighborhoods (Saelens et al., 2003b). The increased development of low density, single land use, autocentric neighborhoods, however, have reduced opportunities for TPA accumulation by increasing destination distances (Ewing et al., 2003; Humpel et al., 2002; Sallis et al., 2002). In an effort to improve population-level physical activity levels, the World Health Organization (WHO) advocates distances up to 5 km as being acceptable and realistic for TPA engagement in adults (World Health Organization, 2004). How- ever, strong, negative associations have been found between commute distance (to place of work/study) and actual or perceived TPA behaviors in New Zealand adults (Badland et al., 2007). For example, when respondents lived less than 2 km away from ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/healthplace 1353-8292/$ - see front matter r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.05.002 à Corresponding author. Tel.: +64 9 921 9999x7630; fax: +64 9 921 9746. E-mail address: hannah.badland@aut.ac.nz (H.M. Badland).