Where Americans walk and bike most often

Data: StreetLight; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/AxiosThe New York, Boston and San Francisco areas have relatively high shares of trips taken on foot or bicycle rather than in a vehicle, a new report finds.Why it matters: Walking and biking can be healthier alternatives to driving, while places designed for people rather than cars can have less air pollution, better neighborhood connectivity and other benefits.Driving the news: Transportation data firm StreetLight ranked all continental U.S. counties with at least 150 people per square mile by their share of trips taken via "active transportation" — walking and biking — compared to vehicles in 2023.The top five counties are all part of the greater New York metro area, including New York (Manhattan, 59%), the Bronx (44%), Brooklyn (43%), Queens (35%) and New Jersey's Hudson County (28%).Rounding out the top 10 are Suffolk, Massachusetts (Boston, 28%); San Francisco (27%); Washington, D.C. (24%); Tompkins, New York (Ithaca, 23%) and Philadelphia (22%). Zoom in: Walking is far more common than biking.In Manhattan, for example, walking made up 48% of all trips, compared to 11% for biking.Between the lines: The findings show a connection between population density and active transportation, the report says, with almost all of the top 10 counties having at least 4,000 people per square mile.Some less dense but tourist-heavy counties, like New Jersey's Cape May and California's Santa Cruz, outperform expectations.That highlights "how tourism, compact town centers, and outdoor culture can drive high walking and biking rates even in moderately dense areas."Caveat: Transit trips aren't included in the report.Reality check: Vehicles are dominant in most of the country, with active transportation accounting for fewer than 10% of trips in over two-thirds of the counties analyzed.Many areas, meanwhile, are designed and governed with a cars-first mentality.Even relatively cycling-friendly places like New York and Boston are constantly engulfed in fierce battles over bike lanes and road use.The bottom line: "As cities and counties across the U.S. aim to reduce traffic congestion, lower emissions, and promote public health, understanding the current landscape of active travel is essential for supporting effective safety and infrastructure initiatives," the report says.

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