Cities Need Walkability and Transit To Keep Millenials, Study Says

• April 24th 2014

by Lark Turner

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To keep millennials, cities are going to need to improve their transit options, a new study suggests.

The study, released by the Rockefeller Foundation and Transportation for America, suggests four in five millennials (those aged 18-34) want multiple options for getting to school, work and other daily destinations. Right now, most cities aren’t doing a very good job: the majority of respondents in all but the three largest cities studied — Chicago, New York City and San Francisco — said options weren’t good enough where they lived. DC residents weren’t interviewed for the study.

DC has previously been rated one of the top cities for walkability and transit options, ranking fourth on Transit Score’s list of most transit-friendly cities, and seventh for most walkable cities.

A few more takeaways from the study:

• 54 percent of those interviewed said they’d be willing to move to a different city with better transit options.
• 46 percent said they’d consider giving up their car if they had a range of transit options.
• Among those who don’t own a car, 70 percent said they couldn’t afford to live in an area without transit.
• A large majority, 91 percent, said “investing in quality public transportation systems creates more jobs and improves the economy.”

In the release, the director of Transportation for America, James Corless, suggested it was in cities’ best interest to keep improving transit.

“The talented young workforce that every region is trying to recruit expects to live in places where they can find walkable neighborhoods with convenient access to public transportation. Providing those travel and living options will be the key to future economic success.”

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/to_keep_millennials_keep_cities_walkable_and_transit-friendly_study_says/8401.