http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/news/pressrel/14pr021.htm
California Department of Transportation, March 10, 2014
SACRAMENTO – Results from the California Household
Travel Survey – the largest and most complex review of its kind – show
that the percentage of California residents walking, biking, or using
public transportation on a typical day has more than doubled since
2000.
“Based on this research, we can make good decisions about
transportation that will improve mobility, air quality, and travel
choices for all Californians and make our state a better place to live
and work,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
Nearly 23 percent of household trips were taken by walking, biking,
and public transportation. In 2000, that share was only 11 percent.
This increase includes a dramatic increase in walking trips, which
nearly doubled from 8.4 percent to 16.6 percent of trips.
“This increasing interest in many transportation choices is another
reason why we are on the path to more sustainability in California,”
said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Kelly.
“Caltrans will continue improving the state’s transportation system to
help ensure Californians have many viable choices for how to travel.”
The 2012 study provides a snapshot of the travel behavior of
approximately 109,000 persons from more than 42,000 households in 58
California counties, this included parents driving to work or kids
biking to school.
Participants received diaries and recorded where and when they
travelled and how they got to and from their destinations on one random
day. The average number of trips for a household was 9.2, while the
average number of trips per person was 3.6.
"Californians are increasingly choosing alternatives to driving a
car for work and play. That's a shift with real benefits for public
health that also cuts greenhouse gases and smog-forming pollution,"
said Chairman of the California Air Resources Board Mart D. Nichols.
"California is committed to supporting this shift with better
planning to support sustainable communities and healthier, low-carbon
choices for travel."
Last year, legislation was approved creating California’s $129
million Active Transportation Program, which distributes funding for
human-powered transportation projects and programs to increase the
proportion of trips accomplished by biking and walking.
“Californians are increasingly determined to get places on their own
power, and Caltrans is determined to help them do that,” said
Dougherty. “Active transportation projects, such as bicycle and
pedestrian paths, are an important part of achieving mobility, safety,
and sustainability goals for California’s transportation system.”
Caltrans and regional transportation planning agencies will use the
CHTS data to forecast future travel demands and greenhouse gas
emissions and look for ways to improve transportation to meet the needs
of the state’s residents.
The CHTS was a partnership among Caltrans, the California Air
Resources Board, the California Energy Commission (CEC), the California
Department of Housing and Community Development, the California
Department of Public Health, and transportation planning agencies
statewide. The survey data will be used by all of the agencies for
various purposes. The study was jointly funded by Caltrans, the
Strategic Growth Council, CEC, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District, and seven transportation planning agencies. Their
generous contributions are as follows:
Caltrans: $4,221,000
Strategic Growth Council: $2,028,000
Metropolitan Transportation Commission: $1,515,000
Southern California Association of Governments: $1,415,834
Council of Fresno County Governments: $49,500
Kern Council of Governments: $118,000
Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments: $183,810
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District: $150,000
Santa Barbara County Association of Governments: $33,000
Tulare County Association of Governments: $49,500
California Energy Commission: $250,000
The CHTS has been conducted roughly every 10 years since 1991. The most
recent review began in January 2012 and ended in February 2013. The
survey data will assist the department in developing and updating
transportation models. The entire report is available at http://dot.ca.gov/hq/tsip/otfa/tab/documents/chts_finalreport/FinalReport.pdf.
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