Synergistic Strategies for Urban Linear Physical Activities Spaces: Insights From a Quantitative Review

In high-density cities that lack public outdoor fitness facilities, engaging in physical activities such as jogging, walking, and cycling in linear spaces like streets has increasingly become a significant option for individuals. In recent years, a substantial body of research has emerged globally examining the associations between the built environment and physical activity behaviors, yet there is a lack of research that systematically compares preferences for environmental factors to different linear physical activity spaces and explores collaborative design approaches within cities. This study, based on a quantitative review of 103 articles, examines the mechanism between 15 environmental factors and three types of activities—jogging, walking, and cycling—at both macro and micro scales. It quantitatively assesses the synergy and divergence in the directionality of environmental factors on different activities through K-means cluster analysis. Based on the collaborative or differentiated manifestations of various environmental factors across different linear physical activities, this study identifies seven general synergistic factors and eight differentiated synergistic factors, and proposes five spatial design models. It summarizes key differentiated factors and their applicability to urban environments, providing theoretical support and practical application evidence for constructing urban health-supportive environments.