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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Home / SMART Framework
IMPACTS ON HUMAN SYSTEMS SMART FRAMEWORK Emissions  Violence HealthyDestinations ActiveTransportation Inclusion Noise Green Space Contamination Violence Circulatory  Hypertension Low blood pressure  Endocrine Nausea Sleeplessness  Gastrointestinal Liver failure Nausea Ulcers Musculoskeletal Arthritis  Nervous DepressionFatigueMemory loss Reproductive Low birthweightPremature birth Urinary  Renal dysfunction (including kidney failure)  Contamination Reduce run-off and contaminationfrom transportation  Contamination is caused by oils, gasoline, heavy metals, particulate matter, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocar–bons that can be found on roadway surfaces due to motor vehicle traffic (Burant et al., 2018; Gaffield et al., 2003; Khan and Strand, 2018). These chemicals can contaminate water sources, soils, and the air, potentially ending up in what humans consume (Adamiec et al., 2016). All Systems Heat stress  Circulatory  ArrhythmiaHypertension Stroke Endocrine DiabetesImproved sleep patterns  Lymphatic Immune function  Nervous Cognitive impairment Mental health problemsStress  Reproductive Improved pregnancy outcomes Premature birth Respiratory AsthmaChronic obstructive pulmonary disease Green Space Promote green space and reduce heat   Green space is land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation and accessible to the public. Green spaces contribute to physical activity (Ying et al., 2015) and reduce the likelihood of negative mental health outcomes (Zijlema et al., 2018), diseases, and premature mortality (Gascon et al., 2016). Green spaces also reduce the adverse effects of harmful transportation-induced environmental exposures such as urban heat islands, air pollution, and noise (Hartig et al., 2014; Nieuwenhuijsen, 2016). Urban heat islands are spaces with greater surface and air temperatures than surrounding rural areas (Coseo and Larsen, 2014). All Systems Obesity  Circulatory  Hypertension Ischemic heart diseaseStroke Endocrine DiabetesSleep disturbance  Nervous Disruption to concentration and  educational attainment Stress  Reproductive Low birth weightPremature birth Respiratory Exacerbation of asthma  Minimize traffic noise  Noise Traffic noise at levels detrimental to health can be emitted from motorized vehicles as well as other modes, such as airplanes. Noise level is dependent on factors like road networks, junctions, traffic flow and speed, acoustics, and meteorological conditions (Zuo et al., 2014; Bell et al., 2014; Foraster et al., 2011). Circulatory  Cardiovascular disease Nervous Mental health problems Stress Increase connectivity and social inclusion  Inclusion Disconnecting communities through community severance results from transportation infrastructure and/or motorized traffic that separates places and people, interfering with the ability of individuals to access goods, services, and personal networks (Mindell et al., 2017). This barrier effect is associated with mental health problems and premature mortality (Anciaes et al., 2019). Social inclusion avoids transportation-related depravations (e.g., affordability, accessibility, availability) that limit the opportunity to socially participate in community activities, which contributes to negative health outcomes (Julien et al., 2015) All Systems Obesity  Increase active transportation  Circulatory  HypertensionIschemic heart diseaseStroke  Endocrine DiabetesInsomnia Obesity  Nervous Anxiety DementiaAlzheimer’s disease ActiveTransportation The lack of physical activity is considered a health crisis due to its role in the obesity epidemic and contribution to numerous other diseases (Khreis et al., 2016). Physical inactivity is the fourth largest contributor to global mortality (World Health Organization, 2018b), resulting in 3.2 million global deaths annually (World Health Organization, 2018c). Health care costs related to physical inactivity around the world were estimated at $53.8 billion in 2013 (Ding et al., 2016). Additionally, analyses have shown that for each $1 spent on active transportation, there is a $8.41 return on investment (Urban Design 4 Health and AECOM, 2016). Circulatory  Cardiovascular disease Gastrointestinal Inadequate nutrition  Nervous Mental health problems HealthyDestinations Increase access to healthy destinations  Increasing access to healthy destinations improves individual’s ability to reach destinations that protect and improve their health, including health facilities and services, healthy food (eradicating food deserts), green space, physical activity facilities, jobs, and education (Litman, 2015b). The lack of accessibility to these desti–nations is a product of increased transit time and costs that limit access and lead to the exacerbation of issues like social exclusion and community severance (Lucas et al., 2016), which can cause adverse mental health outcomes (Cohen et al., 2014). Musculoskeletal Injury / Death Nervous Injury / Death Reduce traffic violence for all users  Violence Traffic violence is any incident involving a vehicle that may result in death, injury, or disability. Those most affected by motor vehicle crashes are vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, who account for over 50% of all traffic deaths worldwide (World Health Organization, 2018a). Motor vehicle crashes are ranked as the eighth leading cause of death in the world and the leading cause of death among those aged 5–29 (World Health Organization, 2018a). In the United States in 2015, more than 36,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities occurred, and 2.5 million people were treated for injuries due to motor vehicle crashes (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Respiratory AsthmaChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseLung cancer Circulatory  Congestive heart failureHeart attackStroke Endocrine Diabetes Musculoskeletal Osteoporosis Lymphatic Allergies  Nervous Autism and child behavior problems DementiaMental health problems Emissions  Traffic-related air pollution results from the emission and dispersion of toxic substances emitted from transportation sources in the air we breathe. Conservative estimates from the World Bank attribute 184,000 annual deaths worldwide to traffic-related air pollution (Bhalla, 2014). Air pollution is also linked to a wide spectrum of global and chronic diseases. Reduce vehicle emissions 

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