Air Quality Modeling | Noise Modeling | Vehicle-Pedestrian Injury Forecasting | Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index (PEQI) | Bicycle Environmental Quality Index (BEQI) | Retail Food Availability Survey | Income and Health Effects Modeling

The San Francisco Department of Public Health has developed a number of tools to help quantitatively assess environmental and health impacts associated with land use development. These tools are described in more detail below.

Air pollution from cars is greater for those living close to busy roadways. Research shows that living close to high levels of traffic is associated with reduced lung function, increased asthma hospitalizations, asthma symptoms, bronchitis symptoms, and medical visits. The SFDPH Environmental Health air quality program is attempting to assess the problem of traffic-related air pollution in San Francisco in a partnership with UC Berkeley School of Public Health. The project is characterizing traffic volume and type using CalTrans, MTA and CTA databases. In addition, truck percentages by neighborhood are estimated using aerial photographs. This traffic volume data has been utilized to model the dispersion of traffic exhaust pollutants and evaluate the health impacts of those pollutants on various neighborhoods in San Francisco. In addition, the street canyon effect has been evaluated for all local street segments and estimates of traffic air pollution "hot spots" have been developed for all of San Francisco. These estimates focus on the relationship between traffic emissions, wind speed and direction, and the depth and width urban canyons create by buildings adjacent to streets.

These traffic models have been utilized to develop maps of areas of San Francisco that may be of increased risk for exposure to traffic exhaust pollutants. To complement data on traffic volumes, we are also monitoring particulates and nitrogen dioxide on high volume streets. Measurements will be used to validate predictive models of air pollution exposure based upon traffic emissions, meteorological dispersion, and urban canyon analysis. Ultimately, these models will attempt to predict exposures of residents, pedestrians, and bicyclists who must use these streets on a daily basis. This data can be used to help planners and community groups understand potential exposures and craft solutions. We are especially interested in defining the distribution of diesel trucks and busses and their contribution to neighborhood diesel particulate exposures. For more information, see: http://www.sfdph.org/dph/comupg/oprograms/EHS/Air/default.asp

Our noise modeling tools reflect a series of tools including noise field measurements, evaluation and "Soundplan" modeling to define the current noise level in San Francisco with special emphasis on understanding the effects of traffic volumes on the acoustical environment. SFDPH, in collaboration with the Building and Planning Department, has created an updated Noise Element and Noise Map for the City's General Plan. These noise maps will trigger acoustical review of new residential development and implementation of Title 24, Acoustical Building Codes. These acoustical improvements will protect new residents from potential annoyances and other health impacts, as well as assure commercial, industrial, and entertainment activities that new residential neighbors will not result in complaints and conflicts regarding their noise producing activities. For more information, see: http://www.sfdph.org/dph/comupg/oprograms/EHS/Noise/default.asp

The primary preventable causes of vehicle-pedestrian collisions are environmental, including: traffic volume; pedestrian volume (though increased volume may have a protective effect); higher vehicle speeds; intersection design; land use and street type (e.g., residential, arterial, freeway). Growth and development in San Francisco have the potential to affect pedestrian injury collisions by changing traffic volume; by changing pedestrian volumes; or by changing transportation facilities.

SFDPH has developed a vehicle-pedestrian injury collision forecasting tool that predicts changes in vehicle-pedestrian injury collisions associated with increased traffic volume and environmental and demographic factors impacted by land use development. A simple bivariate model was piloted in Oakland, and we then developed and refined a multivariate model for use in San Francisco. A written manuscript of our methodology is in the publication process. This tool can be used in conjunction with countermeasures to prevent future pedestrian injuries. For more information, see: http://dphwww.sfdph.org/phes/transportation/TR_pedmodel.htm

Strategies that promote walking have the potential to improve health and environmental quality, while supporting neighborhood cohesion, social capital and environmental design of neighborhoods. Some obstacles to walking include high traffic speeds, narrow sidewalks, lack of nearby destinations such as retail shops, unsafe intersections, and a lack of lighting or seating. The objective of the Pedestrian Environmental Quality Index project is to develop a quantitative observational instrument to describe and summarize street and intersection environmental factors known to affect people’s travel behaviors.

The PEQI is an observational survey which quantifies street and intersection environmental factors known to affect people’s travel behaviors. We identified five main pedestrian categories which embody important physical environmental factors: traffic, sidewalks, land use, intersections and safety. SFDPH is currently applying the PEQI in select areas of San Francisco’s Eastern Neighborhoods, Treasure Island, and the Excelsior, and has conducted a pilot application in Executive Park. PEQI findings could inform neighborhood planning, prioritization of improvements through the land use and transportation planning and environmental assessments. For more information, see: http://www.sfphes.org/transportation/TR_pedqual.htm

The Bicycle Environmental Quality Index (BEQI) is a quantitative observational survey to assess the bicycle environment on roadways to evaluate what streetscape improvements could be made to promote bicycling in San Francisco city. The survey has 25 indicators that are empirically linked to evidence that either promote or discourage bicycle riding and connectivity to other forms of travel. The BEQI is under development and being piloted on San Francisco’s Treasure Island as part of a community transportation plan. For more information, visit: http://dphwww.sfdph.org/phes/comm_ti_bicycle_ped.htm

The Retail Food Availability Survey is a survey which assesses the availability of healthy foods within stores, and therefore within neighborhoods, to determine community food security. This survey aims to examine the availability of certain foods, all of which are components of the US Department of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food Plan Market Basket, and other factors influencing food purchases within stores in low-income neighborhoods in San Francisco, California. This survey is being piloted in 55 stores within the designated boundaries of San Francisco’s South of Market District. For more information, visit: http://dphwww.sfdph.org/phes/

In 1999, SFDPH conducted an analysis of a proposed living wage ordinance for San Francisco. The analysis documented the benefits to adult health and children's education achievement attributable to the adoption of a living wage of $11.00 per hour. SFDPH found that adoption of the increased living wage would result in decreases in the risk of premature death by 5% for adults 24-44 years of age in households whose current income was around $20,000. For the offspring of these workers, a living wage would result in an increase of a quarter of a year of completed education, a 34% increased odds of high school completion, and a 22% decrease in the risk of early childbirth. In 2002, city legislators invited SFDPH to participate in city policy discussions on augmenting local minimum wage standard for all San Francisco residents. In 2003, San Francisco residents passed Proposition L increasing the minimum wage from $6.75 to $8.50 for over 50,000 workers in San Francisco. Other policy proposals with effects on wages in San Francisco could be similarly analyzed with respect to a number of health and social outcomes, including mortality, teenage pregnancy, and high school graduation rates. For more information, see: http://www.sfphes.org/work_living_wage.htm