For all of our Spanish-speaking readers, here is a short clip from a recent Mexico City television broadcast that gives a quick overview of some of the ways in which transport policy impacts public health. It describes a Mexico City NGO (and EMBARQ Network partner) that is working with the Mexican capital to improve both traffic conditions and the health of the citizenry.

Importantly, better transport systems can have community-wide effects that go beyond reducing air pollution and the incidence of traffic accidents; they can also help promote physical activity, providing another tool in the fight against chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

In fact, as cities become increasingly congested, the myriad connections between traffic and public health have become more visible and more serious. Forward-thinking cities are beginning to realize that failing to address these links and thereby improve the quality of life in their cities will mean losing their competitive advantage in our increasingly globalized world.