Planners have thrown seniors under the bus...Wait...There's no bus to throw them under!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011

CONTACT:Andrea Kiepe, Transportation for America ï 612-991-9497 ï outbind://9-000000008AE85ADF0E2FA544A6C17F2E605EFF6D245C2000/andrea.kiepe@t4america.org
Tony Kellen, President, MPTA & Director of Operations for St. Cloud Metro Bus
320-761-8540 ï outbind://9-000000008AE85ADF0E2FA544A6C17F2E605EFF6D245C2000/tkellen@stcloudmtc.com
Bill Neuendorf, Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) ï 952-920-9255 ï outbind://9-000000008AE85ADF0E2FA544A6C17F2E605EFF6D245C2000/billn@tlcminnesota.org

 

NEW REPORT: AS BOOMERS AGE IN PLACE, MOBILITY OPTIONS INADEQUATE 190,000 Twin Cities Metro area seniors will have Poor Transit Access in 2015

SAINT PAUL, MN – By 2015, more than 15 million Americans ages 65 and older will live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent, a new study shows. That number is expected to continue to grow rapidly as the baby boom generation “ages in place” in suburbs with few mobility options for those who do not drive.

The report, Aging in Place, Stuck without Options, ranks metro areas by the percentage of seniors with poor access to public transportation and presents other data on aging and transportation.

The analysis by the Center for Neighborhood Technology shows that in just four years, 47% – or 190,000 seniors in the Twin Cities – will live in neighborhoods with poor access to options other than driving. Minneapolis is a metro region with nearly 3 million residents. In that size category, other cities included St. Louis, Cincinnati and Milwaukee; with Kansas City, MO-KS ranking the worst.

In 2000, 10 percent of Twin Cities seniors age 65 and older faced poor transit access, while 64 percent of suburban and exurban seniors had poor transit access. The percentage of urban seniors age 65-79 with poor transit access is projected to increase slightly to 11 percent by 2015, while the suburban and exurban seniors with poor transit increases to 69 percent. Washington, Wright and Isanti counties will be particularly hard hit. Overall, the number of seniors with poor access is projected to increase by 84,800.

“Our recent analysis confirms this trend in the Twin Cities. In Hennepin County for example, only 44 percent of existing senior apartment buildings are within walking distance of a daily bus route. In Anoka County, where a mere 9 percent of senior apartments have access to transit, the situation is already dire. It's time to better coordinate our transportation systems to address the future needs of the wave of senior citizens that are aging in place.” Bill Neuendorf, Policy Director for TLC.

Metro Atlanta ranks the worst for metro populations 3 million and over. Kansas City tops the list for metros of 1-3 million, followed by Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. In smaller areas like Hamilton, OH 100 percent of seniors will live without access to public transportation.

“The baby boom generation grew up and reared their children in communities that, for the first time in human history, were built on the assumption that everyone would be able to drive an automobile,” said John Robert Smith, president and CEO of Reconnecting America and co-chair of Transportation for America. “What happens when people in this largest generation ever, with the longest predicted lifespan ever, outlive their ability to drive for everything? That’s one of the questions we set out to answer in this report.”
Such a small percentage of older American actually relocate that researchers already are seeing the emergence of so-called “naturally occurring retirement communities.” That phenomenon is growing as baby boomers begin to turn 65. Today, 79 percent of seniors age 65 and older live in suburban or rural communities that are largely car-dependent. “The vast majority of people age 50-plus want to stay in their homes for as long as possible, according to our research,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “When they do move, they most often want to stay in their communities.”

“As my staff and I traveled around Minnesota on my Senior Listening Tour, we met with baby boomers all over the state who said that as they grow older, they depend more and more on public transportation,” said Sen. Franken. “Unfortunately, this report suggests that in the coming years, far too many of our seniors will be stuck at home or will need to drive long distances because they lack access to transportation alternatives. We need to give Minnesota’s senior citizens the transportation options they need to remain independent and enjoy their hard-earned retirement.”

Without access to affordable travel options, seniors age 65 and older who no longer drive make 15 percent fewer trips to the doctor, 59 percent fewer trips to shop or eat out, and 65 percent fewer trips to visit friends and family, than drivers of the same age, research shows. As the cost of owning and fuelling a vehicle rises, many older Americans who can still drive nonetheless will be looking for lower-cost options.

“We need to plan now for an aging population, said Tony Kellen, President of Minnesota Public Transit Association. “The number of Minnesotans aged 65 or older will grow dramatically in the next decade. Our transportation system must keep up with these changing demographics. For older Americans, many with limited incomes, affordable, reliable transportation options are essential. Transit service is a lifeline to the most basic of necessities for living independently.”
“The transportation issues of an aging America are national in scope, and cash-strapped state and local governments will be looking for federal support in meeting their needs,” Smith added. As Congress prepares this summer to adopt a new, long-term transportation bill, Aging in Place, Stuck without Options outlines policies to help ensure that older Americans can remain mobile, active and independent:
 ·       Increase funding support for communities looking to improve service such as buses, trains, vanpools, paratransit and ridesharing; ·       Provide funding and incentives for transit operators, nonprofit organizations, and local communities to engage in innovative practices; ·       Encourage state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and transit operators to involve seniors and the community stakeholders in developing plans for meeting the mobility needs of older adults;·       Ensure that state departments of transportation retain their authority to “flex” a portion of highway funds for transit projects and programs;·       Include a “complete streets” policy to ensure that streets and intersections around transit stops are safe and inviting for seniors.

For the full report and extended rankings: http://t4america.org/resources/SeniorsMobilityCrisis2011
 
  Metropolitan Areas (MN)   Population 65 to 79 with Poor Transit Access in 2015   Percentage of Population 65 to 79 with Poor Transit Access in 2015
  Metropolitan Areas 1 to 3 Million:
  Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI   190,633   47
  Metropolitan Areas with Less Than 250,000:
  Duluth-Superior, MN-WI   25,042   64
  La Crosse, WI-MN   11,079   63
  Grand Forks, ND-MN   6,858   56
  Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN   8,902   41
  Rochester, MN   5,967   34   

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TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA <http://www.t4america.org/> (T4) is the largest, most diverse coalition working on transportation reform today.  Our nation’s transportation network is based on a policy that has not been significantly updated since the 1950’s. We believe it is time for a bold new vision — transportation that guarantees our freedom to move however we choose and leads to a stronger economy, greater energy security, cleaner environment, and healthier America for all of us. We’re calling for more responsible investment of our federal tax dollars to create a safer, cleaner, smarter transportation system that works for everyone. http://www.t4america.org/ <http://www.t4america.org/>

Andrea Kiepe
Minnesota Field Organizer
Transportation For America

612.991.9497 [c]
651.767.0298 x143 [o]

626 Selby Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55104
http://www.t4america.org/ <http://www.t4america.org/>

"What you don't do can be a destructive force." Eleanor Roosevelt