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Aging in Place, Stuck Without Options (2011) Aka: Waiting for a Ride

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Aging in Place, Stuck Without Options (2011) Aka: Waiting for a Ride This report has also been referred to by the title Waiting for a Ride: Transit Access and America's Aging Population Aging in Place, Stuck without Options: Fixing the Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom Generation Aging in Place, Stuck without Options: Fixing the ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom Generation This report was written by Kevin DeGood of Transportation for America. Additional writing, editing and production by David Goldberg, Nick Transportation for America (T4 America) is the Donohue, and Lilly Shoup of Transportation for largest, most diverse coalition working on trans- America. The consulting firm Nelson\Nygaard portation reform today. Our nation’s transporta- provided research assistance. The transit access tion network is based on a policy that has not data and case study maps were created by the been significantly updated since the 1950’s. We Center for Neighborhood Technology. Valuable believe it is time for a bold new vision — trans- contributions and edits were also provided by portation that guarantees our freedom to move these T4 America national partners: however we choose and leads to a stronger econo- AARP// Debra Alvarez and Jana Lynott my, greater energy security, cleaner environment and healthier America for all of us. We’re calling for more responsible investment of our federal tax Executive Committee dollars to create a safer, cleaner, smarter transpor- Smart Growth America (co-chair) tation system that works for everyone. Reconnecting America (co-chair) Alternatives for Community & Environment America Bikes American Public Health Association (APHA) Apollo Alliance LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors National Association of City Transportation Contents Officials I. Executive Summary 3 National Association of Realtors National Housing Conference II. Aging in Place, and Implications 7 Natural Resources Defense Council for Transportation PolicyLink III. Ranking Metropolitan Regions 15 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy The Surface Transportation Policy Partnership IV. Implications for Federal Policy 18 Transit for Livable Communities (Minn.) V. Metropolitan Transit Access 20 U.S. Public Interest Research Group Case Studies VI. Best Practices to 35 Improve Accessibility VII. Conclusion 45 Appendix 1. Methodology 46 Appendix 2. Metropolitan Rankings 50 This report can be accessed online at: t4america.org/resources/SeniorsMobilityCrisis2011 2 Aging in Place, Stuck without Options: Fixing the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom Generation I. Executive Summary The baby boom generation is the largest in U.S. driving in order to maintain their independence as history, with more than 77 million people born long as possible. between 1946 and 1964.1 Baby boomers are also unique because they came of age during the Many seniors will rely on relatives or friends to unprecedented economic expansion that followed take them around, and a smaller number will move World War II, which helped fuel the rise of new to places where services and activities are close by. suburban communities and increased reliance on Pedestrian-friendly streets and recreational trails the automobile. At the same time, the Federal built with seniors in mind will help older Americans Government initiated the largest infrastructure get around safely and remain active, regardless project in U.S. history with the construction of where they live. But only adequate public of the Interstate Highway system. Whereas transportation services can assure that older adults previous generations tended to live in close are able to travel as often or as far as they would like, proximity to employment centers, new suburban without worrying about inconveniencing others. housing developments required frequent, long- Absent access to affordable travel options, seniors distance trips by automobile. With the support of face isolation, a reduced quality of life and possible substantial federal funding, metropolitan regions economic hardship. A 2004 study found that developed vast road networks to connect people seniors age 65 and older who no longer drive make to employment, healthcare, recreation and friends 15 percent fewer trips to the doctor, 59 percent and family. Automobiles became an essential fewer trips to shop or eat out, and 65 percent fewer component of daily life as opposed to a luxury. trips to visit friends and family, than drivers of the 2 Only a small percentage of Americans move after same age. A 2002 study in the American Journal they reach retirement age, according to demographic of Public Health found that men in their early 70s researchers, meaning most will “age in place” in who stop driving will need access to transportation neighborhoods where daily activities require alternatives, such as public transportation, for an frequent car trips. With rising life expectancies, average of six years; women in the same age group America’s largest generation will also be the oldest will, on average, need transportation alternatives for 3 ever. Inevitably, aging experts note, a large share ten years. A 2008 survey by AARP found that 85 will find that their ability to navigate by vehicle percent of older Americans were either extremely diminishes or disappears over time. These millions 2 Bailey, Linda (2004), “Aging Americans: Stranded of older adults will need affordable alternatives to without Options” Surface Transportation Policy Project, Washington, D.C. 1 Coughlin, Joseph F. (2009) “Longevity, Lifestyle, and 3 Foley, Daniel, Heimovitz, Harley, Guralnik, Jack and Dwight Anticipating the New Demands of Aging on the Brock “Driving Life Expectancy of Persons Aged 70 Years Transportation System” Public Works Management & and Older in the United States” American Journal of Public Policy Volume 13 Number 4 301-311 Health, August 2002, Vol 92, No. 8 3 Aging in Place, Stuck without Options: Fixing the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom Generation concerned or very concerned about rising fuel prices, leading many to look toward other forms of Defining Poor Transit Access transportation or to reduce their travel.4 This report ranks metro areas by the percentage of seniors with poor access to Whether seniors have access to transportation public transportation in 2015. Poor transit options depends both on where in the country access is defined for each metro size category to allow for a fair comparison they live, as well as where they reside within and avoid holding small metro areas to a metropolitan region. To gauge the emerging the same standard for transit service and transportation issues for aging Americans, access as large metro areas. For a typical Transportation for America commissioned the senior, poor access to transit is defined as Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) to the average number of bus, rail, or ferry routes within walking distance of their analyze the adequacy of public transportation home. For each metro size category, poor service for 241 metropolitan areas with a population access is defined as follows: of 65,000 or more (See the methodological • For a metro area with fewer than appendix for a complete list of those metro areas 250,000 residents, a typical senior where digitized transit data was not available at with poor transit service has the time of the study). The analysis considered access, on average, to less than .8 the total number of public transit lines and stops bus, rail, or ferry routes; – bus routes and rail and ferry stations – in a given • For a metro area with between 250,000-1 million residents, a location, as well as the number of seniors living in typical senior with poor transit that area in 2000, and their likely numbers in 2015. service has access, on average, Within the communities examined in this report to fewer than 1.1 bus, rail, or ferry more than 11.5 million Americans 65 and older routes; lived with “poor” transit access in 2000. If most • For a metro area with between seniors get their wish to “age in place,” by 2015, 1-3 million residents, a typical our analysis shows that this figure will increase to senior with poor transit service has access, on average, to fewer than more than 15.5 million older Americans, meaning 1.7 bus, rail, or ferry routes; a substantial majority of that population will be • For a metro area with 3 million or faced with declining mobility options. We do not more residents, a typical senior with make specific projections beyond 2015, because poor transit service has access, on they are less likely to be accurate. However, the average, to fewer than 1.9 bus, rail, aging in place phenomenon will continue until well or ferry routes; beyond 2030, when the last baby boomer turns 65.5 • For the New York metropolitan area, a typical senior with poor transit 4 Skufca, Laura. (2008), “Is the Cost of Gas Causing service has access, on average, to Americans to Use Alternative Transportation?” AARP, Washington, D.C. fewer than 11.7 bus, rail, or ferry 5 United States Census Bureau, “Population under age 18 routes and 65 and older: 2000, 2010, and 2030” data available at the http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/ projectionsagesex.html 4 Aging in Place, Stuck without Options: Fixing the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom Generation Table 1 shows the total increase in older Americans investment in a variety of transportation projects with poor transit access for each metropolitan size and programs will be essential to help communities category. While the most significant percentage provide for the mobility needs of an aging America. increase occurs in communities with fewer than 250,000, the greatest in absolute numbers is in The current drafting of the next transportation bill communities of 1 to 3 million. Even the New York provides Congress an historic opportunity to ensure metropolitan region, which has the most extensive that older Americans are not stranded without transit access of any area, is estimated to add adequate and affordable travel options.
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