Still walking, still cycling? Post-pandemic active travel and healthy mobility in Southern California

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic, together with the rise of remote work and e-shopping, substantially altered travel behavior. Whether these changes persisted for active travel, and how they reshaped access to health-promoting mobility opportunities, remains unclear. This study examines how the determinants of walking and cycling changed between 2019 and 2023 across the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region, a highly diverse region comprising six counties, 191 cities, and more than 18 million residents. Methods We estimate generalized spatial regression models on StreetLight InSight® active transportation data to compare pre- and post-pandemic associations between active travel and sociodemographic, built environment, safety, and crime-related factors at the census-tract level. Results We find that average daily walking trips declined across most of the SCAG region between 2019 and 2023, whereas cycling trips increased. Most pre-pandemic correlates persisted; formal between-year comparisons identified several meaningful changes for walking but none for cycling. For walking in 2023, tracts with more residents outside the labor force and more workers with short commutes were associated with more walking. For cycling, tracts with more residents outside the labor force were positively associated with cycling in 2023, whereas a larger share of tract area classified as urban remained negatively associated with cycling. Conclusions Our findings indicate substantial continuity in active-travel correlates, with selective between-year changes concentrated in walking that are consistent with more flexible and localized activity patterns. To support healthy, sustainable, and inclusive mobility, investments should prioritize safe neighborhood-scale connectivity, low-stress walking and cycling networks, and equitable access to everyday destinations, particularly in communities where safety, infrastructure, and vehicle-ownership constraints may limit active travel.