Bridging public health and transportation networks to advance active transportation policy

Introduction

Active transportation (AT) policies are often developed, adopted, and implemented by organizations from non-health sectors, including transportation. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are federally mandated agencies that distribute federal transportation funds and plan urban transportation projects. Although MPOs are positioned to advance AT policies, past research has demonstrated variation in how funding is apportioned towards AT across metropolitan areas. This study explores the role of MPOs and the influence of their policy collaborations in prioritizing AT policies.

Methods

In summer 2014, fifteen interviews were conducted with 19 key informants across 6 U.S. cities representing MPO staff and individuals of partnering AT advocacy organizations. A snowball sampling technique was used for recruitment and data was collected until saturation was reached.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed that collaboration strongly influenced AT policy prioritization by MPOs. MPOs identified the following AT partners as important: state departments of transportation, local advocacy groups, state and local public health departments, local elected officials who are often represented on MPO boards, regional and city agencies, and academic institutions. MPOs discussed the importance of these groups to increase public and political awareness of AT benefits; educate and provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions on how to integrate AT policies into project proposals submitted to MPOs; convene stakeholders; and support AT policy and project implementation.

Conclusion

This qualitative study provides insight on the policy change processes and partnerships of MPOs that can support AT policies and demonstrates the importance of collaboration for a variety of AT policy activities by MPOs.