Census data reveals increases in walking, biking, transit and decrease in driving alone !

Posted February 3rd, 2010 by Dave Reaville

Transportation Trends Changing in Chittenden County Census data reveals increases in walking, biking, transit and decrease in driving alone !

Winooski, VT - If it seems like more people are walking, biking, and taking the bus, that's because they are. According to recent data from the US Census Bureau, Chittenden County residents have begun to buck the longtime national trend of more people driving alone to work.

Local transportation planners compared journey-to-work data from the 2000 Census with the 2006-2008 American Community Survey (ACS) for people working in Chittenden County. While the total number of people working in Chittenden County increased during that timeframe, researchers found that the share of Single Occupant Vehicles (SOV)-those commuters who drive alone-dropped nearly 4%. The data also indicate that work trips on public transportation increased 70%, walking was up 30%, and the percentage of people biking (along with riding motorcycles and taking taxicabs) nearly doubled.

"This is inspiring news given the attention and funding spent on transportation the last few years," said Michele Boomhower, Executive Director of the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization. "Local communities have been working hard to create an efficient and safe transportation network for all users, and the numbers are showing that people are taking advantage of other options than driving alone." Fewer people traveling alone helps to reduce congestion and damage to roads and bridges, while improving air quality and transportation system efficiency.

At the national level, 76% of people drive alone to work while in Chittenden County 74% of commuters travel alone. Some 7% of Chittenden County workers choose to walk, compared to 3% of US workers, while US transit ridership is at 5% compared to 2% in Chittenden County. Figures for the US and Chittenden County are the same for carpooling (11%), biking (which is combined with riding motorcycles and taking taxicabs, at 2%), and working at home (4%).

"While the local trend is a complex phenomenon and there are a lot of factors driving change, this kind of thing doesn't happen by accident," said Chapin Spencer, Executive Director of Local Motion. "The combined efforts of many organizations have created the conditions where people can choose something other than driving solo." Additional factors which may also be contributing to the positive mode shifts include increasing fuel prices and the recession.

More information is available on the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization website.