Along with the steep rise in normal super commuting — people commuting to a metropolitan area’s central county from homes outside the metro area — the number of people commuting across the country by plane has grown dramatically as well, at least in Manhattan. And New York is unlikely to be the only city struggling to accommodate the travel needs of long distance commuters.
commuting
More Americans commuting long distances to work
Between 2002 and 2009 the number of “super-commuters,” people who work in a metropolitan area’s central county while living outside the bounds of the metropolitan area, grew dramatically, far outpacing workforce growth rates, in all but two of the nation’s ten largest metropolitan labor markets. Many of these workers only make their commute once or twice a week, and worked remotely the rest of the time.
Rhode Island DOT uses ITS to make commuting easier for drivers
The Rhode Island DOT has begun using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to make driving go more smoothly on major state-owned roads around Providence. Cameras on highways and digital signs allow both DOT officials and commuters to monitor traffic flow and plan their routes accordingly. According to Joseph Bucci, head of the Transportation Management Center, the state “can’t build [itself] out of congestion. We need to try to do things better to manage [congestion] using technology.”
Promoting Bicycle Commuter Safety (Mineta Transportation Institute, 2012)
This report examines the “five Es” for increasing bicycle commuter safety, but focuses on education and engineering. Case studies from California and Portland, OR give first hand information about bicycle safety. Download the full report.
Britain to raise motorway speed limit to 80mph
Britain plans to raise the speed limit on the country’s motorway system from 70mph to 80mph. The government expects the move to increase economic efficiency and commuter satisfaction through the reduction of journey times. Studies …
IBM Global Commuter Pain Survey: Congestion down, complaints up
The fourth annual “Global Commuter Pain” survey report released by IBM has revealed that although global traffic congestion is lower in 2011, driver complaints have increased in the same time period. Mexico City was rated …
Where we are today: Five-year trend from 2005 to 2010 shows less commuting by car
New Census data for 2010 show a gradual trend toward less commuting by car and truck, and more by transit, walking and biking. In the nation as a whole, driving to work edged down to …
Long commutes are worse than you thought
Divorce, stress, loneliness, and medical problems are just a few of the negative effects of long commutes. As Annie Lowrey details in a recent Slate article, a growing body of research has found the negative …
Have TOD promoters been putting the cart before the horse?
Building on its previous publication, Transit and Employment (2008), the Center for Transit-Oriented Development recently released a new report, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Employment. The report challenges the assumption that employment dispersal outside of central …