Senior Travel: Understanding Differences by the Types of Communities in Which Our Aging Population Lives

Over the next 25 years, the number of older residents in Northern Virginia is expected to more than double. By 2030 the ratio of seniors age 65 and older is expected to increase from one in thirteen residents to one in seven—an increase of about 225,000 older residents. As the overall population expands outward from the central city (Washington DC) and core suburbs (Alexandria and Arlington), more and more seniors will find themselves residing in suburban and exurban locations. Most seniors wish to age in the homes they retired in. As the region continues to decentralize, one can expect to see most of this additional population located in low-density, suburban and exurban areas. This could have profound effects on the mobility of seniors, the demand for innovative transportation services, and the cost of providing service to disparately located seniors. This paper focuses on the linkages among senior travel, transportation planning, and land use. Specifically, it examines the travel patterns and needs reported by seniors in order to ascertain whether there are any differences by community type (walkable, mixed-use urban/town areas, suburban, or rural). This research supports the construction of compact, mixed-use communities where today’s younger adults can age-in-place as part of the solution to addressing the mobility needs of our aging population. It also argues for shorter-term solutions that address the current transportation needs of today’s seniors. These shorter-term solutions must address the different geographic locations where seniors live to ensure cost-effective investments.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lynott, Jana
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2006-1-22 to 2006-1-26
• Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Pagination: 25p
• Monograph Title: TRB 85th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Land use; Land use planning; Livability; Mobility; Suburbs; Travel
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aging population; Exurban areas; Exurbs; Senior housing; Transportation access; Walkable communities
• Geographic Terms: Northern Virginia; Washington (District of Columbia)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01026200
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 06-2956
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 29 2006 7:39AM