New England UTC Year 15 - Research Project Description

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1 New England UTC Year 15 - Research Project Description Center Identifying Number: MITR15-1 Project Title: Regional Transportation Planning for an Aging Society Principal Investigator: Joseph F. Coughlin Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room Cambridge, MA Tel: Fax: coughlin@mit.edu External Project Contact: None. Project Objective:?? Develop a baseline of how MPOs and the regional transportation planning process are assessing, planning and programming near and long-term transportation investments to meet the mobility needs of an aging society.?? Provide a state of the regions assessment of how thoroughly MPOs are addressing the convergence of demographics and transportation demands. For example, are there individual planning professionals assigned to the aging issue, are there specific task forces or studies that are on-going, is the aging issue inextricably linked to disabled transportation or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance issues??? Benchmark the state of the practice and develop case studies detailing how regional authorities are conducting analysis, outreach, planning and programming in the areas of transportation infrastructure and land use, the development of alternative transportation services for those who can not or choose to no longer drive, education and training for older drivers or those transitioning to alternative forms of transportation (e.g., mobility counseling), older driver testing and evaluation, livable communities, etc. Project Abstract: Longevity is one of the greatest achievements of public policy. Investments in improved medicine, healthcare delivery, nutrition and sanitation has

2 increased the lifespan from less than 50 in the beginning of the century to nearly 80 in the year Financial security, health care and housing needs for future generations of older adults are clearly on the national policy agenda. However, now that a longer life has been achieved for many, how will the existing transportation planning, traffic safety, social services, transit and regulatory systems support the lifestyle of older people? a lifestyle predicated on seamless mobility as defined by driving and automobility? Like all other age groups, most older adults are likely to drive to meet their mobility and accessibility needs, but forecasts suggest that lifelong driving for everyone may become increasingly problematic. Addressing the impacts of an aging society on transportation planning will take both a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach. Transportation options must go well beyond the automobile to address livable communities where walking is possible and attractive transit is accessible as well as available and where there are support services to guide and educate people about their mobility needs and options as they age. A national review of regional planning activities for an aging society will be conducted and the research will be executed in five tasks. This study will be used to frame a generalized action plan that may be used by regional authorities that have yet to focus on the aging and transportation issue. For those regions already addressing aging, the work may introduce innovations that they have yet to consider. The product of this research is to identify proactive and strategic actions that will enhance the safety and mobility options available for current and future older adults across the nation. Task Descriptions: A. Literature Review A literature review will be conducted. A matrix organizing at least three bodies of literature will be developed transportation regional planning, service and plan delivery in a fragmented policy systems, and aging and demographics as they related to aging, e.g., aging in place, independent living. The review will include classic articles and books but will be generally limited to a 10-year horizon. B. Survey Development and Sample Selection A survey instrument will be developed to understand the range of activities and plans that MPOs are undertaking that address aging in their metropolitan areas. This includes outreach, development of special task forces and planning studies,

3 coordinating activities to integrate the actions of social service agencies, highway authorities, transit properties, land developer and regional aging lobbies, e.g., AARP. Finally, the Transportation Improvement Plan or TIP from each region will be collected to identify the number and types of projects that may be planned for in the near-term, i.e., one year TIP element, or in the long-term plan, beyond a one or two year time frame. A sample will be drawn. More than 70 percent of older adults live in 30 metropolitan regions. However, an attempt will be made to select a sample of metropolitan areas that provide both a diversity of age-related demographics as well as land use patterns (extensive suburbanization versus rural), city types and sizes, relative investment in public transportation, popular retirement destination, etc. C. Survey Execution The survey will be conducted by phone and fax. A point-of-contact will be identified for follow-up questions and acquisition of additional materials, e.g., updated TIP, special documents, membership rosters of relevant committees, etc. D. Benchmarking and Case Development Based upon the survey and telephone discussions, the study will attempt to benchmark the range and type of activities taking place around the country. To provide greater meaning to the quantitative data, a series of cases studies will be developed. These cases may also serve as examples to other regions in their development and execution of planning activities to address the current mobility demands of older adults and the coming wave of baby boomers. E. Analysis and Report Writing A summary document will be written including the literature review, method, survey findings, case studies and implications. However, two other analyses will be documented for publication and wide dissemination in the transportation, social service and aging, and planning communities. The first will focus on the survey results while a second article will present only the cases and a more detailed examination of how best to integrate the aging issue into the transportation planning process as done by selected regions. Milestones: Project Start Date: September 1, 2002

4 Project End Date: August 31, 2003 Task Start Date End Date Product Literature Review 9/30 12/1 Literature matrix Survey Development 12/1 2/15 Survey instrument Survey Execution 2/28 4/1 Survey Benchmarking & Case Dev. 4/1 9/30 Benchmarks and Cases Analysis & Report Writing 9/30 3/31 Summary document Yearly and Total Budget: Federal Grant: $70,000 Non-Federal Grant: $70,000 Total: $140,000 Student Involvement: One MIT MST graduate student (full time) and one MIT PhD graduate student (half time) will serve as a research assistants. Relationship to Other Research Projects: This research is part of a larger body of work studying and developing innovative approaches to the mobility needs of an aging society. Funding, technology transfer and education activities of this project will be leveraged with other similar UTCP activities as well as private funding sources within the MIT CTL and MIT AgeLab. Likewise, information will be shared with research programs that are on-going with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Chicago Transit Authority. Technology Transfer Activities: This study is, in part, a partnership with the AARP and The Hartford Financial Services Company. As such, the findings, lessons and resulting strategies will be of immediate interest and use to the AARP s membership and formidable nationwide grassroots infrastructure serving more than 35 million members. The findings from this study will be promulgated through a series of presentations and publications: the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, the MIT website, a transportation journal publication as well as a briefing to the USDOT Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the US Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Aging. It is hoped that the findings of this research will be published in transportation planning, policy and regional planning journals of interest to researchers and practitioners.

5 In addition, it is anticipated that the utility of this research will extend beyond the transportation research community and be of interest to those conducting research in social gerontology. An article will be written for the aging research community based upon a planned presentation at the Gerontological Society of America s annual meeting in Finally, the study, case studies and related best practices will be provided to each of the regions surveyed so that they may have both a comparison point with their own work and a document that may assist them in introducing innovation to their own planning process to meet the mobility demands of an aging society. Potential Benefits of the Project: The findings and analysis of this project will provide valuable insight into where the nation stands in providing for the mobility needs of the aging baby boom population. Moreover, the cases and benchmarking activities will provide practical and actionable lessons for regional transportation planners and operators nationwide. TRB Keywords: Older adults, transit, transportation alternatives,