Transportation For America » AARP joins Transportation for America

AARP joins Transportation for America

March 25, 2009
By Stephen Lee Davis

Photo courtesy of Dan Burden

You might remember the headlines as the United States passed the 300 million mark in population just a few years ago. Sounds hard to believe, but we will reach the 400 million mark in population somewhere between 30 and 40 years from now. But did you know how much older America will be then? Nearly 1 in 5 Americans are expected to be over age 65 by the year 2030.

With our country becoming older, it is imperative that we think about transportation investments that will serve all Americans — not just the young or mobile.

Transportation for America is proud to announce that the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has joined the campaign as a partner, bringing their 40 million members into the fold, joining us to push for reforms to our federal transportation program. From their press release:

“AARP is delighted to join T4America, the Transportation for America Campaign, an impressive group of organizations, elected officials and businesses with the shared goal of building a modernized infrastructure to support livable communities where people can live, work and play. America is aging rapidly and transportation policy and spending must acknowledge this demographic shift. The upcoming transportation authorization can help the nation prepare both for its graying years and a greener future by making roads safer for drivers of all ages and also offering more user friendly options for pedestrians and transit users.

It’s worth noting that AARP is not all about retiring seniors. Around half of their 40 million members are still working.

Empty-nesters are growing in numbers, and more of them are seeking out places where they can live without driving constantly, while still having good access to culture and amenities.

And today, 1 in 5 Americans over age 65 either choose not to drive, or are unable to drive. 600,000 people over age 70 stop driving every year. 50 years ago, this perhaps wasn’t quite the barrier it is today because seniors lived in places where life as they know it did not have to end the moment they stopped driving.

With many retirees and seniors living in our auto-dependent suburbs of the last 50 years, how are they going to stay mobile and get where they need to go?

It is a big issue for AARP. They wrote a letter to Congressional leaders on behalf of their 40 million members last week asking Congress to draft a 2010 budget that can “promote livable communities” through smarter transportation spending, with a special call to support the Complete Streets legislation currently in the House and Senate.

It has become clear that our nation can no longer rely solely on gasoline taxes to fund both needed repairs to our aging highways and bridges while providing for expanded and more energy-efficient mobility options. Regardless of the approach Congress selects to fund future transportation spending, we urge that significant funds be targeted to expand our nation’s public transportation systems, expand paratransit programs and services for special needs and rural populations, and promote use of safety design features that can make our roads and intersections safer for drivers and pedestrians. We also urge the adoption of Complete Streets policies to make our streets safe and convenient for users of all ages and abilities regardless of mode of travel.

We welcome AARP to the coalition as we work together to create a 21st Century transportation system for all Americans.

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