As
Baby Boomers Rise in Age, Need for Transportation Alternatives Rises
A
study published in the August 2002 edition of the American
Journal of Public Health looks at how long people in the United
States aged 70 years and older can expect to continue driving a car.
The study found that men and women ages 70 to 74 could expect
to drive for approximately 11 more years.
The
aging baby boomer population means an increase in the number of
seniors, and thus a rise in the number of people who will be seeking
forms of transportation, other than driving a car, in the next 25 to
30 years.
The transition from driving to using
alternative forms of transportation, however, can be difficult due
to constraints on the availability and affordability of various
options. While many seniors turn to family and friends for their
transportation needs, many others must rely on public
transportation, taxis, or community and church-sponsored van
services. Some, or all
of these options, may not be readily available in many communities.
Where
public transportation is available, it may still fail to prove a
viable option for many seniors.
The distance between homes and transit stops may be too far
for an older person to walk. Furthermore,
transit service may be limited in the number of hours or days per
week it operates.
As
the number of people who cease driving due to age-related reasons
increases, access to quality, affordable transportation choices
becomes increasingly important to maintaining a high quality of
life.
Source:
American Journal of Public Health; August 2002, Vol.
92, No. 8.
UNTI
to Host Commuter Choices Week and Commuter Benefits Workshops
UNTI
will host Commuter Choices Week and Commuter Benefits Workshops on
August 14th.
During
the Commuter Choices Week Planning Workshop, employers will be given
a description of the marketing resources available to them from UNTI
and Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS).
These include worksite transportation days, posters, payroll
stuffers, and other marketing materials to help employers encourage
employees to try an alternative transportation mode during Commuter
Choices Week.
Employers
are also invited to arrive early for a commuter benefits workshop
entitled “Getting to Yes!: Lessons Learned for Increasing the
Effectiveness of Commuter Benefit Programs.” This 1-hour session
features Michael Grant, ICF Consulting, and co-author of the
recently released “Strategies for Increasing the Effectiveness of
Commuter Choice” report. Tracy Simpson will also speak during the
workshop, providing the audience with an insiders’ view of setting
up and maintaining a commuter benefit program within a company.
|
Workshop
Schedule for August 14, 2002
1:30
- 2:30 pm
Getting to Yes!: Lessons Learned for Increasing the
Effectiveness of Commuter Benefit Programs
3:00
- 4:00 pm
Commuter Choices Week Planning Workshop*
Both
workshops will be held at the Center for Urban Transportation
Research building on the University of South Florida Tampa
campus. Please call 974-9799 for directions and to request a
complimentary parking permit.
*Refreshments will be served |
FDOT
Seeks Comments on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Widening Project
The Florida
Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently in the process of
conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study of
the alternatives for the widening of CR 581, also known as Bruce B.
Downs Boulevard, from Bearss Avenue to SR 54 (12.8 miles).
The widening
of Bruce B. Downs is being undertaken to address traffic congestion,
future demands along the corridor, projected future growth in the
project area, and the need for adequate pedestrian and bicycle
facilities.
The FDOT has
arrived at three alternative design options for the portion of the
road in Hillsborough County and one for the portion of the road in
Pasco County.
In order to
narrow the three alternatives for the Hillsborough County portion of
the project, the FDOT needs comments from the public on which type
of road they would most prefer to travel in the future.
A PDF file
containing descriptions and illustrations of the three alternatives,
as well as costs to build each alternative is available by following
the link below or on the main page of UNTI’s website, www.commuterservices.com/unti.
People who regularly travel the Bruce B. Downs corridor
between Bearss Avenue and SR 54 are encouraged to print and complete
the comment form in the file, and mail to the FDOT.
Citizens may also email comments to UNTI at sobush@cutr.usf.edu.
Bruce
B. Downs Widening Document in PDF.
To request a
hard copy of the handout, please call 974-9799 or email sobush@cutr.usf.edu.
* Form states a deadline of June 28th,
but according to the FDOT, the deadline for comments has been
extended indefinitely
Vanpool
Riders Wanted:
Decrease commute
costs, improve use of travel time
A vanpool traveling from Sarasota/Bradenton to the USF Area,
including the VA Hospital and Telecom Parkway is seeking riders. Work hours are from 7:00am - 4:30 pm. Call 813-282-8200 for more information.
UNTI
Seeking Comments on Commute
Experiences
UNTI
is interested in hearing about your commute!
Simply send an email to sobush@cutr.usf.edu
or fill out the commute
comments form at www.commuterservices.com/unti
to tell us about your daily commute and any ways you have found to
make the trip more bearable.
Save
the Date! Commuter Choices Week: October 7-12
The 6th
annual Commuter Choices Week will include numerous events to promote
commute options to employers and commuters throughout the Tampa Bay
area. Events will be
held in the Westshore area, Downtown St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and
Tampa, the Gateway area, and the University North.
UNTI’s event will be held on Tuesday,
October 8th from 11am to 2pm in the MLK Plaza on USF’s
Tampa campus. It will
focus on the use of bikes and transit as viable means of
transportation to, from, and around the University North.
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