Sustainable Transportation and Urban Environments-Public Health

Dear Colleagues,

The links between transportation systems, urban planning, and public health are key to sustainable urban development. Researchers have highlighted that city planning and transportation infrastructure significantly impact environmental sustainability, public health, and social equity, and that the reliance on fossil fuels for transportation notably contributes to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, adversely affecting urban health. Conversely, sustainable transportation methods like public transit, cycling, and clean energy vehicles improve air quality, reduce emissions, and encourage physical activity. Transitioning to sustainable transportation is, therefore, an opportunity to bolster public health and urban designs focused on sustainable transport can significantly reduce respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and mental health issues by promoting active travel and reducing pollutant exposure. Thus, sustainable transportation is not only an environmental imperative but a strategy to enhance urban livability and health equity.

The primary aim of this Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable Transportation and Urban Environments-Public Health” is to advance the understanding and application of sustainable transportation solutions that foster healthier urban environments. It seeks to gather and disseminate cutting-edge research, innovative practices, and insightful analyses that explore the dynamic interactions between urban transportation systems, the built environment, and public health outcomes. This Special Issue intends to highlight interdisciplinary approaches and evidence-based strategies that contribute to the development of sustainable, livable, and health-promoting urban spaces.

Aligned with the journal's focus, this Special Issue focuses on sustainability, urban planning, public health, and environmental studies. By exploring how transportation systems can be designed and managed to enhance public health and environmental sustainability, this Special Issue contributes to the broader discourse on creating resilient and equitable urban spaces. It complements the journal's mission to promote scholarly and practical insights that support the transition towards more sustainable and health-oriented urban development practices.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome and research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Health impacts of urban transportation policies;
• Active transportation and public health;
• Urban design, walkability, and health;
• Impact of public transit systems on urban health;
• Air quality and transportation emissions;
• Climate change, transportation, and health adaptation strategies;
• Behavioral aspects of sustainable transportation choices;
• Environmental justice and transportation equity.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chia-Yuan Yu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Urban Science is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.