Car trips beat walking and biking in NWA by a mile
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Most trips in Northwest Arkansas are taken by vehicle rather than on foot or bicycle, according to new data.
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.
State of play: NWA's cluster of cities are built more for automobiles and the relatively low density of its population makes many routine trips far more difficult than inner cities.
- Still, most cities are trying to provide better networks for active transportation and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission is revising its regional bicycle and pedestrian master plan.
By the numbers: StreetLight's report found cars were used for 93% of trips in Benton County and 92% in Washington County. Cycling only made up 1% in both counties.
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."