Transportation in Shasta County, California
What does it mean for a community to have effective transportation systems? It is about whether people are able to get to their jobs and the amount of time they spend commuting. It is about whether transportation is affordable and everyone can access it. It is about whether the transportation system and infrastructure allow people to live their lives. Transportation is related to everything from job access to healthcare access.
INFRASTRUCTURE & CAPACITY
How many commuters drive to work alone in Shasta County, California?
What this measures: The percentage of workers who commute alone by car.
Why this matters: Whether individuals and communities choose walking, biking, taking public transportation, or driving has important impacts on health. These impacts arise from active living, air quality, traffic crashes, and more. Driving alone is the most harmful mode of transportation to the health of communities.
What this relates to: Air quality.
Data source: American Community Survey, Table S0801.
USE AND AFFORDABILITY
How many miles, on average, do people in Shasta County households travel per weekday?
What this measures: The frequency of private motor vehicle use in a population.
Why this matters: Low rides per day per capita could result from greater use of alternative modes of transportation (e.g., walking, biking, public transportation). Greater use of alternative transportation is linked to lower risk of disease, less air pollution, and less sound pollution.
What this relates to: Health outcomes, air quality.
Data source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Other Interesting Measures
INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY
• Percent of workers who commute 60 minutes or longer. Source: Census/ACS.
• Average number of jobs reachable within 30 minutes by public transit or walking. Source: University of Minnesota: Access Across America.
QUALITY
• Average time of commute (minutes). Source: Census.
• Bike Score (0-100). Source: walkscore.com.
USE AND AFFORDABILITY
• In the last three years, the quality and service of public transportation has: improved, worsened, or remained the same. Source: To be developed.
• In the last three years, the roads leading to this community have: improved, worsened, or remained the same. Source: To be developed.