Socio-Economic Impacts

“Through transportation, we can help ensure that the rungs on the ladder of opportunity aren’t so far apart — and that the American dream is still within reach for those who are willing to work for it.”

–Secretary Anthony Foxx

Ladders of Opportunity

Anthony Foxx became the 17th United States Secretary of Transportation (USDOT) on July 2, 2013. Secretary Foxx believes that transportation should not only bring people from one place to another, but should also create opportunities for the places and people in between. Over the past three years, he has leveraged USDOT resources to connect communities to economic opportunity while encouraging land use planners, engineers and decision-makers to revitalize and reconnect underserved communities.

Following Secretary Foxx’s lead, OKI has incorporated his Ladders of Opportunity approach to the development of this 2040 Plan Update. At a time when our region has so much infrastructure to repair and replace, we have a chance to do so in an inclusive way that will simultaneously expand economic opportunity and socioeconomic mobility. The choices we make about future transportation projects, the people they touch and places they connect, will play a role in determining how widely opportunity expands throughout the OKI region. Together, we can build a stronger and more connected region, a healthier economy and more vibrant communities.

How do the recommendations of this 2040 Plan impact the lives of our citizens and communities? The content of this webpage presents the socio-economic impacts of the Plan’s project recommendations.

Environmental Justice Populations

OKI has defined five social groups for which the impacts of transportation projects are being evaluated in accordance with federal and state Environmental Justice (EJ) guidelines. More information about EJ populations can be found under Planning Assumptions: Demographics.

Impact

OKI used a variety of quantitative performance measures and qualitative evaluation to assess whether Plan projects had any adverse or disproportionate impacts on the target populations as well as to ascertain whether benefits were equitably distributed.

Ohio County EJ Impacts

Kentucky County EJ Impacts

Indiana County EJ Impacts

Roadway

In regards to commuting to work, the results of this impact assessment found that:

• Between 2010 and 2040, travel times to work will increase for all populations and EJ populations, with or without the Plan.
• However, 2040 auto travel times will be shorter for EJ populations in comparison to the total population.

 Average Travel Time by Auto to Work (in minutes) – EJ Populations

The proximity of EJ communities to areas containing healthcare, post-secondary education and shopping was measured by post-processing results of OKI’s Travel Demand Model. In regards to these non-work trips, the impact assessment of the 2040 Plan projects reported that:

• In comparison to 2010, 2040 travel times by auto will increase for all populations with or without implementation of 2040 Plan projects.
• However, with the implementation of 2040 Plan projects, auto travel time will be less or stay the same for all populations.
• In addition, 2040 auto travel times are shorter for EJ populations in comparison to the total population.

Non-Work Average Travel Time by Auto (in minutes) – EJ Populations

Healthcare

Post-Secondary Education

Shopping

Transit

The transit recommendations in this Plan include improved bus service on high priority transit corridors, creation of additional bus transfer hubs and Park & Ride facilities, extension of streetcar service to Northern Kentucky and the Oasis Line Rail transit.

This plan successfully improves accessibility of residents of EJ communities to other parts of the region. Public transit improvements provide significant enhancements to the overall accessibility to jobs, healthcare, shopping, and post-secondary education.

Over $5.8 billion, nearly 85% of the total recommended expenditures, are within EJ communities. A breakdown of this total investment shows that:

Breakdown of 2040 Plan Recommendations Serving EJ Populations by Project Purpose

These expanded public transportation options will be especially important to the region’s EJ communities. For example, the region’s increasing elderly population will require new transportation options to prevent increased isolation from society. Improved public transportation may allow for aging in place. The combination of transportation and land use planning is another critical element in serving populations throughout their entire life cycle, through more dense and mixed use development. The fact that one could walk to retail, medical, social and employment opportunities without the need of any vehicular transportation, supports a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive community.

Summary

Through this quantitative and qualitative EJ assessment, OKI finds no adverse or disproportionate impacts on EJ communities. The future quantifiable benefits from the implementation of this 2040 Plan appear to be equitably distributed. There is no evidence that any one group of citizens is over or under served. Transit supply and service clearly favor the urbanized areas where density of employment and population make bus service more efficient. Throughout the region, EJ communities appear to be well served.

Another measure of equity may be the number of families and businesses displaced during the implementation of transportation projects. OKI supports projects that minimize the impacts on all segments of the population and encourages appropriate mitigation measures when such impacts are unavoidable.

Care must also be taken to avoid not only displacement, but also the damage to neighborhood social fabric which can be caused when implementing transportation projects. Erecting physical and psychological barriers, whether intended or not, can destroy the cohesiveness of communities. OKI supports projects that minimize the impacts on a neighborhood’s quality of life. Appropriate mitigation measures should be part of the project when such impacts are unavoidable.