Larimer County Summit on Aging
Shaping the Future of Larimer County
Abstract: The Mobility Challenge
Panel Presentation: Transportation
Gary D. Thomas, BBA, SPHR
Ft. Collins, Colorado
Among the many issues faced by seniors is the need for access to safe, reliable transportation when they reach the point of no longer being able to drive.
According to a study published in the Journal of Public Health, Americans on average live 10 years beyond their ability to drive. Add to that our mobile society where many families are separated by distance and unable to help older relatives and then throw in the aging of the 78 million members of the baby boomer generation and today’s transportation problem may become a crisis. Meanwhile, traffic congestion, fuel prices, and environmental issues will continue to make automobile travel increasingly difficult.
Already in Northern Colorado the census bureau reports that people over age 75 is among the fastest growing groups and that trend will only continue given the publicity the region has received as a place to retire.
In this talk, Mr. Thomas will overview the current state of transportation in the region and several initiatives underway to improve the mobility of all residents with a special emphasis on services to seniors.
Expanding the existing bus service to include connections to Denver and other regional destinations and the possibility of combining the city bus agencies of Fort Collins and Loveland would go a long way in addressing the current gaps in today’s system. In the longer term, a focus on travel corridors that combine housing, medical facilities, shopping, work and transit will be needed to efficiently accommodate the growing number of non-driving seniors.
