The number of seniors in the U.S. is projected to jump by 36 percent from 2010, outpacing the growth of the overall population by 300 percent. An increase in immigrations will help make the United States a minority-majority country by 2042, with more than 62 percent of children in the U.S. projected to be a member of a minority group by 2050.

To help us look at how these changes will impact our transportation needs, a group of organizations — including Transportation for America, AARP, Association of Population Centers, Population Association of America, Population Resource Center — held a briefing on Capitol Hill Monday entitled Getting Around in 21st Century America: Demographics and the Future of Transportation Policy.

Geoff Anderson of Smart Growth America and Transportation for America, Peter Morrison of the Rand Corporation, and Professor Leobardo Estrada of UCLA’s urban planning department all spoke at the event, laying out in simple terms why our country needs to reform its transportation system, provide people with safer and better options, and help create accessible communities that do not require the use of a car to lead a healthy, satisfying life.

A large portion of immigrants of working age living in the United States do not own a personal automobile — often using public transportation or carpooling to get to work — and need adequate transportation options to contribute to our national economy and carve out their piece of the American dream.

For older Americans, this issue is even more important. As we’ve discussed before, Americans face numerous transportation challenges as they age, from losing the ability to drive in a car-dependent culture, to unsafe or simply non-existent sidewalks, to unavailable or inaccessible public transportation that often keeps people stuck at home. These issues are particularly important in rural and suburban areas, where many immigrants are now moving, and many Baby Boomer Americans plan to age in place

While recent shifts in policy — including a national push towards complete streets and a recognition of the linkage between housing and transportation — are important steps to help keep our changing population mobile, safe, and productive, we need to do a whole lot more. Check out the T4 Blueprint to find some of our specific policies aimed at addressing these issues, and be sure to sign our petition urging Congress to create an accountable, 21st century transportation system.

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.

Resources:

• Read their press release
• Read their letter to Congress (3.1 mb pdf)
• Tell Congress to support Complete Streets Legislation