Aging Americans: Stranded Without Options

A study from the Surface Transportation Policy Project draws alarming conclusions about the lack of mobility options for citizens 65 years old and over:

A new study shows that more than half of all non-drivers age 65 and over stay at home on a given day, many because of limited transportation options. This trend is particularly troublesome as the baby boom generation of Americans grows older. . . .

"We must move aggressively to implement a balanced, multi-modal transportation system, supported by mixed use development. This is how we can ensure that older Americans who are unable to drive are not isolated and cut off from their communities," said STPP President Anne Canby. . . .

Many older Americans do not have options other than driving. Less than one half the population has adequate public transportation available to them. Walking is often difficult or unsafe and not an alternative. Americans age 65 and older make only 8 percent of their trips by walking. Street safety is cited as a major problem. In a recent STPP poll, 42 percent of Americans reported that dangerous intersections make crossing the street difficult where they live.