NACDD believes that all states and communities should be designed to support activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations. Evidence shows that policies and activities that connect multiple modes of travel (e.g., pedestrian, bicycle, transit) to places where people live, learn, work, play, pray, and receive care increases physical activity. Locations that are more walkable and movable are important to fostering opportunities for safe physical activity across the lifespan/for people of all ages and improving overall health.

Making states and communities more walkable and movable involves partners in public health, transportation, planning, economic development, housing, transit, parks and recreation, elected leaders, and others. NACDD collaborates with, and receives support in part from, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity to plan, implement, and evaluate the Active People, Healthy Nation^SM Walkability Action Institute (WAI) as a multi-day course for interdisciplinary teams. These teams that include representatives from public health, transportation, planning, elected officials, and other disciplines, receive training from the nation’s top experts to develop team action plans. Action plans are focused on implementing policies and activities to make their communities, regions, and states more walkable and movable by reimagining spaces and recreating community and transportation design.