SSC2011_Patricia Hu PPT

Transportation Accessibility and Livable Communities

Patricia Hu

Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

United States Department of Transportation

September 27, 2011

2U.S. Department of TransportationResearch and Innovative Technology Administration

Research & Innovative Technology Administration

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

ITS Joint Program Office (ITS JPO)

Office of Research, Development & Technology (RDT)

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Office of Positioning, Navigation & Timing (PNT)

Transportation Safety Institute (TSI)

• RITA

• BTS

• ITSJPO

• Volpe

• PNT

• TSI

• RD&T


Transportation Secretary LaHood’s Priorities

Safety: reduce fatalities and injuries

State of Good Repair: upgrade and maintain infrastructure

Economic Competitiveness: policies and investments that support economic growth

Livable Communities: increase transportation choices and access

Environmental Sustainability: reduce carbon and other harmful emissions from transportation


Why is livability a transportation priority?

More transportation choices reduces costs and helps the environmentIntegrating the planning of transportation and housing creates more opportunitiesImproving access enhances quality of life and public health

Meeting needs of aged/disabled personsConnecting communities to jobs, healthcare, housing


We are a nation that drives to work

Source: American Community Survey (2010 Estimates), U.S. Census Bureau


The growth in travel per capita has been slowing

1977 1983 1990 1995 2001 20090.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00Daily Person Trips Daily Vehicle Trips

No

. o

f T

rip

s p

er P

erso

n/D

rive

r


Vehicles account for ~80% of transportation GHGs


A 2009 BTS survey ranked the importance of selected transportation characteristics in livable communities

Transportation Characteristics

Major roads or highways that access and serve your community 94.4%

Adequate Parking in in the downtown or central business district (CBD) 89.2%

Pedestrian-friendly streets or boulevards in downtown or CBD 85.2%

Sidewalks, paths, or other safe walking routes to shopping, work, or school 85.0%

Easy access to airport 83.2%

Reliable local bus, rail, or ferry transportation that can be reached without driving 75.3%

Bike lanes or paths to shopping, work, or school 69.8%

Reliable long-distance bus or train transportation 68.4%


That said, the rankings depend on socio-demographics and places of residence, for example

Low income households rank local transit more important than the rest of the population

Higher income households rank airport access more important

The elderly rank sidewalk less important than the rest of the population

The difference among those who live in different communities reflects what the community perceives are needed, but that may not be available. For example, rural residents are more concerned about having sidewalks, safe walkable routes to shops and schools.


The challenge in improving transportation accessibility needs to consider:

Demographic trends Aging population

Low income households

Immigrants

Land use patternsWalk-able/bike-able

Transit availability

Safety and security perception


United States 2050: Growing, Aging Population

Total population projected to increase by 42% to 439 million

Projected number of age 65+ doubles to 88.5 million

Age 85+ will increase from 14 to 21% of older population

Ratio of 65+ to working age will be 35 to 100, versus 22 to 100 today


The elderly’s propensity to travel depends on:

whether they retain their driver’s licenses,

whether public transportation (including paratransit) is accessible, and

whether they live alone or with others.

Elderly Living Alone0

10

20

30

No, I am not a driverYes, I am a driver

Da

ily T

rav

el (

mile

s)

16-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

1995 2001

Lic

en

se

d R

ate


Low-income households primarily drive too

Sources: American Community Survey (2010 Estimates), U.S. Census Bureau; 2010 Transportation Statistics Annual Report, Bureau of Transportation Statistics

The poor in the U.S. reached 46.2 million in 2010 -- the fourth straight increase and the largest number of people living in poverty since record-keeping began 52 years ago.


Transit ridership remains relatively stable

1990 1995 2001 200950%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

OtherWalkTransitPOV

% T

rip

s b

y M

od

e


Between 2005 and 2010, 3.5 million rural residents lost access to scheduled intercity transportation.


Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database

Nationwide database of intercity transportation facilities w/ scheduled passenger services

2,500 facilities (expanding to 6,500 in 2012)

Rail stations, airports, ferry terminals, commuter rail terminalsWill add light/heavy rail stations & bus stops in 2012

Measures connectivity of transportation system

Facilities records have latitude/longitude for GIS apps

Web-based map application under development


Data to better understand transportation accessibility

National Household Travel SurveyConducted by US DOT

Only nationally representative travel survey that links household, person/driver, vehicle, and trip characteristics

Conducted in 1969, 1977, 1983, 1990, 1995, 2001, 2009

http://nhts.ornl.gov

American Community Survey Conducted by Census of Bureau

An ongoing survey that provides data every year

Among major demographic factors it asks: “where do you work and how do you get there?”

While there is no single data source that can help us to fully understand the impact of transportation accessibility on mobility, the integration of these sources provides more insightful understanding.

SSC2011_Patricia Hu PPT

Technology

transportation accessibility

transportation choices

jpooffice of research

economic competitiveness

economic growth

state of good repair

harmful emissions

environmental sustainability