The Measuring Access to Improve Public Health study, a partnership between MassDOT and UMass Amherst, explores how access to critical destinations by different modes of transportation relates to public health outcomes. The study was conducted in two phases. The Phase I study, which focused on access to food, identified three research opportunities that became the focus of Phase II:
- Accounting for microtransit and quality of infrastructure in access metrics
- Integrating demographic data to quantify disparities faced by vulnerable populations
- Including additional public health-related destinations, such as healthcare, higher education, and parks.
Using walk, bike, and transit access metrics, the Phase II study examined the relationship between access, demographic variables, and three chronic diseases: diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The results of the study show that transportation access is a significant determinant of public health outcomes. In particular, limited access among low-income and zero-vehicle households is especially associated with poorer health outcomes.