Fourteen-year-old Julia Lopez, a childhood wellness advocate from Los Angeles, CA, met California Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer in the Capitol yesterday. Lopez is in Washington, D.C. to participate in Transportation for America’s “health fly-in” to speak with Congressional representatives about the link between and health and transportation.

Most of the news coverage about what is happening in Washington compartmentalizes health and transportation, missing key connections between the two. This week, Americans from around the country will speak to their representatives, seeking to emphasize those links. The “health fly-in” will commence Thursday and is sponsored by Transportation for America, the American Public Health [...]

Last week, an offhand comment by Republican Senator John Ensign about the link between health and transportation policy didn’t make the headlines, but it did make an interesting connection. Ensign was wrong in asserting that the United States has the highest life expectancy among developed countries when gun and automobile accidents are ignored. But he [...]

A top priority in the transportation debate is addressing the mobility needs of the 56 million residents of rural areas and small towns in America – about 20 percent of the population of the United States. Rural areas and small towns often fall through the cracks of federal transportation policy, which focuses on statewide priorities for building new highways and often overlooks local needs and preferences. Transportation for America has been working closely with our coalition partners on this important issue for some time. Now, it looks like Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is also getting on board.

By living closer to jobs and school, city dwellers cut down on carbon emissions. (Chicago Sun-Times) Health researchers note that obesity and climate change have many of the same roots — including an auto-dependent lifestyle. (Grist) The unpredictable nature of climate change could have dangerous effects on our transportation system. (ClimateBiz)

Transportation for America hosted the fourth webinar in a series last Thursday, April 30. More than 270 people signed up to hear from health, safety and active transportation experts on the effects our transportation policy has on public health and safety. In coordination with the webinar, we’ve released the 5th in a series of policy papers, focusing on public health and safety.

America’s obesity problem has a direct connection to the neighborhoods we occupy — and those of us fortunate enough to live in compact, walkable neighborhoods are reaping the health benefits. (MSNBC — Steve Mitchell)