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South Burlington, VT - Transportation planners say commuting
patterns of workers in Northwestern Vermont have changed dramatically
in the past decade.
"
Our recent study of the 2000 Census data shows dramatic changes
in the number of residents of other counties in the region commuting
into Chittenden County to work," said William Knight, executive
director of the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization. "This
information tells us that we need to change the way we think
of transportation planning in this area. We need to recognize
that people see Northwestern Vermont as a region, not just a
collection of separate counties."
Knight said the 2000 Census estimated 19,856 workers traveling
into Chittenden County to their jobs, out of a total of 93,954
county workers. In addition, nearly 6,000 residents leave Chittenden
County to work in neighboring counties.
In some counties in the region, the changes are dramatic when
comparing differences between the 1990 Census and the 2000 Census.
Washington County has seen an 89.5% increase in the number of
its residents who commute to work in Chittenden County, a total
of 2,821, while another 1,852 workers head from Chittenden County
into Washington County to work.
With 7,292 commuters, Franklin County has the largest number
traveling into Chittenden County for jobs, representing a 44.4%
increase. Another 1,126 workers travel from Chittenden County
into Franklin County.
Lamoille County has seen a 46.3% increase in travel to Chittenden
County with 1,764 commuters. In Addison County, 3,969 residents
travel to work in Chittenden County, a 42.8% increase. Grand
Isle has 1,714 commuters traveling to Chittenden County, a 30%
increase since 1990. The number of residents leaving Grand Isle
County to work (1,714) is greater than the number of people,
1,103, who live in Grand Isle and stay there to work (1,103).
"The 2000 Census numbers indicate a large and growing number
of commuters traveling daily among the five counties of this
region," Knight
said.
Travel time to work is also increasing, Knight said. The percentage
of workers in Chittenden County commuting a half hour or more
to work has increased from 17.4% in 1990 to 20.7% in 2000. The
largest increase came for Lamoille County, with a 10 percent
jump between 1990 and 2000 to more than 37%. At more than 60%,
Grand Isle County commuters are the largest overall percentage
of workers commuting 30 minutes or more.
Knight said the data have implications for how planners in the
future look at the region. "It shows us clearly that transportation
planning cannot stop at county borders. We need more coordination
and cooperation among the counties of the region and more awareness
of all the populations and employers we serve in this area."
The CCMPO was established in 1982 under federal law. It is authorized
to help regional decision-makers and constituents plan, prioritize,
and coordinate the use of federal funds for transportation projects,
as well as address on-going transportation-related policy issues.
Chittenden County is the only densely populated area in Vermont
that meets the definition of a metropolitan area with a population
that is greater than 50,000 people.
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