Reconnect Rochester Releases Report on Transportation and Poverty in Monroe County

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - April 25, 2018 - PRLog -- Reconnect Rochester, together with a host of leading organizations in Rochester's anti-poverty efforts and transportation sector, has released a commissioned report prepared by Center for Governmental Research titled Transportation and Poverty in Monroe County: How Land Use, Job Locations and Commuting Options Affect Access to Jobs. (http://reports.cgr.org/details/1854) (http://reports.cgr.org/download/report/5adf787ba5cd4)

Transportation has long been identified as a key barrier for people living in poverty in Monroe County. The report provides a first of its kind "deep dive" study of the major factors and dynamics at play, which include:

·       Where people live and how that has changed over time

·       Where people work and how job distribution location has changed over time

·       How people commute to work, and how long that commute takes by public transit

·       The rates of car ownership and financial burdens of car ownership

·       The accessibility of jobs depending on place of residence and mode of transit

The report concludes that the state of transportation options in Monroe County and Rochester pose an equity issue for the community, both in terms of race and income:

"Drivers (who are whiter and wealthier than transit riders) face easy commutes and a wide access to jobs. Those who ride the bus face very long commutes and limited access to jobs. Given these differences, the transportation system writ large reinforces the disparities that already exist in the community rather than helping to reduce them. "

Other key findings include:

·       An individual can reach a greater share of the county jobs in 20 minutes by car than in an hour by bus.

·       The relationship between vehicle ownership and employment in Rochester is stronger than in the cities compared (Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton, and Syracuse).

·       The difference in average commute time by car vs. by public transit is bigger in Rochester than in the comparison cities.

·       While the total number of Monroe County jobs declined slightly from 2002 to 2015, a smaller share of those jobs now exist within the city of Rochester.

·       The number of Monroe County jobs that paid $40,000 or more increased from 2002 to 2015, while the number of jobs that paid under $40,000 decreased.

·       The County's low-income jobs are concentrated in Rochester and Henrietta, but its low-income workers are spread across the whole county.

"As our community works to address issues of equity and poverty, transportation is a key factor that cannot be ignored," noted Zohar Perla, one of the study's researchers. "CGR is glad to have had the opportunity to help drive community awareness and understanding of both this issue's importance and its complexities."

Please see Reconnect Rochester's press release (https://reconnectrochester.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04...) as well as the full report (http://reports.cgr.org/details/1854) for more information.

About CGR
Founded in 1915, CGR is an independent, nonprofit management consulting organization delivering expertise in government and education, economics and public finance, health and human services, and nonprofits and communities. It is committed to improving the quality of communities through impactful research, analysis, consultation and data management for the public, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations that serve them. To learn more, visit www.cgr.org.