During our community feedback sessions, many older adults expressed concern about how they would get around when they were no longer able to drive. Some reported that public transit was not within walking distance of their home, and others cited affordability as an issue. Many older adults reported using volunteer driver and rideshare services. Older adults who were able to walk or use transit expressed the need for streets that are safe for users of all ages, with benches for resting, safe crossings and sidewalks wide enough for wheelchairs.

Vision

A livable community with safe, affordable, accessible, and reliable transportation for non-drivers that ensures older adults stay connected to their communities, the services they need, and the people they care about.

Goals

1. Implement the Complete Streets policy and design approach, which emphasizes safe accommodation of all users of the road, including pedestrians, bicycles and transit riders.
2. Institute regional planning policies to promote smart growth, including a focus on public and alternative types of transportation.
3. Set transportation mode-split goals (the proportion of the public’s trips taken by different types of transportation, such as by care, public transit, bicycle or on foot) and allocate funding to projects that align with these goals.

Join the Theme Team

The Transportation Theme Team is led by representatives from SANDAG with support from community members and County of San Diego staff.

For more information or to join the Transportation Theme Team, please contact Jana Schwartz at jana.schwartz@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Get Connected and Learn More

Ride Well to Age Well Guide

During our community feedback sessions, many older adults expressed concern about how they would get around when they were no longer able to drive. The Age Well team created the Ride Well to Age Well Guide as a way to catalog transportation options throughout San Diego County. The guide explains how to download and use mobile applications such as Lyft, and provides a glossary of common transportation terms.

Transportation options included in the guide:

• FACT (Facilitating Access to Coordinated Transportation): (888) 924-3228
• MTS Access: (619) 557-4555
• On the Go: (858) 637-3210
• GoGoGrandparents: (855) 464-6872

Complete Streets and Smart Growth

A complete street is designed to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.

• The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is the regional transportation planning agency for San Diego County. Access SANDAG’s complete streets policy, tools and checklist.
• To evaluate your municipality’s complete street policy, check out Smart Growth America’s “Elements of a Complete Streets Policy.”
• Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America, AARP® Public Policy Institute, 2009

Smart growth is a development approach that emphasizes developing within existing neighborhoods that are well-connected to transportation, and including a mix of building and housing types. The Housing team is working to promote smart growth, which can benefit older adults by reducing social isolation and making it easier to access shops, community centers and healthcare.

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