Changes in the residents’ step counts before and after a railway improvement project

Abstract

In many Japanese cities, local governments have been planning compact city policies to reduce environmental impact and financial costs. The resulting walkable urban form, where people live near railway stations, could potentially contribute to residents' health as a secondary effect. In this longitudinal study, we investigated changes in residents’ walking behavior in an area subject to a railway improvement project, using large-scale data on step counts. We compared the changes in daily step counts of middle-aged and older adults in Yokohama City before and after a railway improvement project. The project aimed to improve traveling convenience to central Tokyo by developing a railway line that directly connects the existing suburban stations to central Tokyo with no transfers to shorten travel time and by opening a new station in an inconvenient area. Comparing residents’ step counts in the project intervention area (N = 733 on average) and other areas (N = 2,914 on average) before and after the project, the effect of the project intervention was examined through difference-in-differences analysis using generalized linear mixed models. After the project, older residents aged 75–84 years living close to the new station walked approximately 400 steps more than their counterparts with the same level of step counts before the project. Moreover, older residents aged 75–84 years living around the existing stations, which benefitted from the direct connecting service, walked approximately 200 steps more than their counterparts. However, women aged 45–64 years living around the existing stations walked approximately 200 steps less than their counterparts. The railway improvement project promoted older adults’ walking behavior, supporting the worldwide trend toward transit-oriented development from the population health perspective. However, the project had an adverse effect on middle-aged women. Planners should consider that the impact of projects varies according to age and gender.

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