Recent posts from this weekend (October 8-9, 2005) have brought up the interesting question of how people are traveling on a daily basis, considering rising gas prices and declining funding for public transit.  Some of this is contained here:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4504.msg43634#msg43634

 

How are UrbanOhioans traveling these days?

 

The vote may be a bit one-dimensional, so feel free to add comments about commute time, multimodal details (I bike if it's nice out...bus if it's not) and so on.  Also, if you feel like estimating the cost of your daily commute, I'd love to hear it!

well i drive down to school from north royalton since art stuff is hard to bring on public transit.  however to go from university circle to downtown the redline is my top choice which i ride usually 3-5 times a week. 

 

Some days I take the bus the work. I purposefully chose my residential location near Lakewood's Gold Coast because it is one of the few inner-ring communities that has fairly decent transit service to where I work. A one-seat bus ride to near the county line is a rare thing! But, if the Rapid went past where I work, I'd prefer to take that.

 

Some days, when I have to be downtown first thing in the morning, I take the bus downtown (it runs every five minutes past my building). After I pick up documents at the Justice Center, I sometimes walk to Tower City to get some breakfast and take the Rapid to West 117th and transfer to the #75X bus to North Olmsted. Or, I'll take an earlier bus, get breakfast in Fairview Park, and catch the next bus out to North Olmsted. Today, I was able to cover that distance (home to downtown to North Olmsted) in an hour and 20 minutes, just because all the connections worked and I didn't stop for breakfast. 

 

Some days I drive to work (if I'm going to be covering multiple news stories -- though I recently took on a different news beat so I wouldn't have to drive as much and because I'll be able to cover redevelopment and transit issues more often).

 

In other words, I'm a multi-modal kinda guy.

 

KJP

Wake up around 7am.

Have a light breakfast; hop online and check the news until 7:30am.

Get ready and dressed by 8:00am.

Out the door by 8:10am.

On the bus by 8:15am.

Get dropped off around 8:20am.

Walk over to coffeeshop; get coffee by 8:30am.

Walk to work and at my desk by 8:35am.

 

Give or take :-)

Based on my location, I'm forced to drive to work everyday.  I would love to catch the NorthCoast Express (METRO bus that runs between Akron and Cleveland), but it would take me no where near my job and the additional transfers needed to get to my job wouldn't be worth it time wise.

Where's your job A2daK?

 

KJP

^ Mayfield Village

I need my car for work.  If I didn't need it, I could take the #326, but I hate taking buses.  I live right around the corner from the Red Line and I would take that if the office was closer to one of the stops (again, if I didn't need my car multiple times a day).

^ Mayfield Village

 

I see your dilemma. You're going from one distant, outlying area to another distant, outlying area. This is why this nation is so vulnerable to peak oil. The land use and lifestyle changes that will result will be quite profound, and some will be lost without a compass. Fortunately, you don't seem like one of those people.

 

KJP

Well, for work, I have to take a car, as my schedule varies daily and taking the bus from my current location would require too many stop to make it feasible. However, I do use COTA for my commute to class. It actually takes just as much if not less time to ride the bus to campus as it would for me to drive my car to the West Campus lots and wait for a CABS bus to take me to campus. The best part is that the stop lets me off right next to the buildings I attend my classes at.

Living and working in the metro Motor City, I cannot say that the public transportation system is all that great (they want you to buy and drive cars).

 

My commute normally should be about 20-25 minutes (18 miles) each way.  Construction and the realigning of I-94 for the past two years has made my commute much worse.

 

I would love the option to take a train to work.  Not much of a bus guy, but I definately would take the train.

 

There has been talk of adding some sort of high-speed public transportation from Detroit up to Pontiac along Woodward.  Unfortunately, I don't live or work near any of those communities.

 

Ann Arbor's bus system is pretty good, but it has to be due to the univeristy.  Again, I would have to drive my car to catch the bus, so I mind as well drive my car.

 

I'm in my car a lot. LOL 

^Your farther away from Middletown than I thought.

 

Don't tell me you came home just for Middfest.

Nope.  Came to visit my dad among other things.  I have made the trip back for Middfest in the past when the county has interested me.  This year, it didn't.  Just so happened that my dad was on vacation during this time.

 

Where did you think I was?

I thought you lived in the Miamisburg/Centerville/N. Springboro neck of the woods.

I thought you lived in the Miamisburg/Centerville/N. Springboro neck of the woods.

 

Why is that do I sound that snooty (not to offend anyone that's from there LOL).

 

Nope, I'm here in the Motown area.  At least for right now.  Thing again, I've been telling myself that for the last 8 years. LOL.

Sometimes, LOL, I guess I got that from your Austin interchange post or something. I just didn't think you'd be so far away. I can't believe you love a city so much, yet don't care to actually live in it.

I got to take a car from my home in mentor. Laketran dosent provide commuter busses back from cleveland state for my evening classes. To ride rta back I would have to get dropped off at shoregate, and then get a ride from someone else

Sometimes, LOL, I guess I got that from your Austin interchange post or something. I just didn't think you'd be so far away. I can't believe you love a city so much, yet don't care to actually live in it.

 

Well love of a city doesn't necessarily dictate where you live.  A decent job, connections and friends do just as much as love for a city.

 

Trust me, I've considered moving back to SW Ohio several times, and yes, I would pick Middletown as a place to live over Mason, Lebanon, Monroe, West Chester, Liberty Township, you name it.  (I would give Springboro or Oakwood some thought though LOL).

 

 

 

 

Springboro? You trader!!!!

 

Oakwood is lovely, but would be nothing without Dayton

I will admit that I have a luxurious commuter pattern.  This is a product of my ability to choose where I wanted to live in the Cleveland area, knowing where I'd need and want to go.  I understand that not everyone has this much freedom (due to children, work location, cost, etc. etc) So, Ohio City, full of transit options and walkable amenities, makes my life a lot easier as far as this survey goes!

 

One nice surprise since moving to the OC has been the ease in walking home at night from Downtown.  Buses are frequent during the daytime to Ohio City, but at night (after 1am), not so much.  So, if I'm out late Downtown, I can walk home across the Detroit-Superior Bridge...nice!  And I made about 5 or 6 trips back and forth across the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge last weekend to watch the Tribe tank their final three games at the Jake.  This wasn't something I thought I'd be doing a lot of, but it's turned out to be a pretty easy option.

 

I walk... less than a mile, about 15 minutes.  At such a short distance there's no reason not to walk, but even if I wanted to employ another mode of transportation, driving (parking) would be pretty much impossible, and the bus is not convenient.

drive, less than 3 miles. Sorry transit enthusiasts. Untill gas tops 5 bucks a gallon it still makes more sense economically to drive down the hill

I take the bus (Cinti Metro).

I ride a bike sometimes if it is nice out.

Local buses have bike racks that hold 2 bikes. I have not used them in a commuting manner, tho.

Commute is about 5 miles & a major consideration in picking a place to live was being close enough to ride a bike to work.

 

Mark

For work, I take the train - Shaker Sq. or Coventry to Public Sq.  When in the Shaker Sq./Larchmere area I usually walk around as I HATE to drive.  (In nice weather) I've riden my bike and taken the circulator to Cedar Fairmount (easy and quick) and Coventry (painful - easier to bike or drive).   

 

I try to use mass transportation when going into shaker, university circle, downtown or the near westside as its more convienient to take the train and not worry about partying and driving.  In addition, I dont have to think about parking, gas or the possibility of having the car towed.  :x

 

If im going to outer lying suburbs i'll drive or sucker..er, ask someone else to drive.  8-)

I have a 10-12 minute drive from home in southern South Euclid to Beachwood.  I have never been much of a public transit rider but am starting to consider using the Green Road Green Line station to head downtown for Cavs games rather than driving alone.

I'm fortunate enough now to live in a city with good public transit.  I take the Metro to work, although since the closest station to my office is 3/4 mile away, walking takes up more than half of my commute time.  If I work a late night or on a weekend, I'll take the bus across town to cut down the walking, as long as there isn't rush hour traffic.

 

Yeah, I'm skewing the results of the poll.  I realize that.  :-) 

I drive about 6 miles each way

I got to take a car from my home in mentor. Laketran dosent provide commuter busses back from cleveland state for my evening classes. To ride rta back I would have to get dropped off at shoregate, and then get a ride from someone else

 

Laketran offers late-night bus service when the Indians or Cavs play at home. Might consider that as a way to head back to Lake County.

 

drive, less than 3 miles. Sorry transit enthusiasts. Untill gas tops 5 bucks a gallon it still makes more sense economically to drive down the hill

 

OK, explain that one to me. When is driving ever cheaper than taking transit? Are you borrowing someone else's car for free?

 

KJP

Walk to school (approx 1 mile one way), and to several of the nearby bars. 

Though I've finally ridden a bus for the first time since moving to BR (why can't LSU have a parking/driving/transit plan like OSU  :? :whip:)

 

 

 

drive, less than 3 miles. Sorry transit enthusiasts. Untill gas tops 5 bucks a gallon it still makes more sense economically to drive down the hill

 

OK, explain that one to me. When is driving ever cheaper than taking transit? Are you borrowing someone else's car for free?

 

KJP

 

figures i'd get this from KJP....when i only drive about 15 miles a week, the costs associated with owning the vehicle far outweigh abandoning the vehicle for a transit only approach. (if your busy calculating my expenses, it should be noted that pope still has his car on his parents insurance, god bless redlining)

I know about the games bus, but Im talking about regular times. I do however abuse laketran to go downtown and not see any sports games.

I know about the games bus, but Im talking about regular times. I do however abuse laketran to go downtown and not see any sports games.

 

What I was suggesting (and maybe you already gathered this) is take a regular Laketrans bus in the mornings when the Cavs or Indians are in town, then take the post-game Laketrans bus home.  Of course, I say this without knowing your schedule.

 

 

figures i'd get this from KJP....when i only drive about 15 miles a week, the costs associated with owning the vehicle far outweigh abandoning the vehicle for a transit only approach. (if your busy calculating my expenses, it should be noted that pope still has his car on his parents insurance, god bless redlining)

 

Yep, you're getting it from me. I'm sure you're aware that most of the costs of driving a car that you own are the fixed costs of owning said car. Even with you having your car on your parents' insurance, your costs per mile are astronomical for owning a car that you drive so little. You'd be farther ahead if you took that car for 100-mile drives into the country each weekend to lower your per-mile costs. Or, better yet, sell the car, invest the money and take a freakin' taxi each day! You'd still be farther ahead.

 

The ragging continues....just trying to save the spendthrifts amongst us.

 

KJP

 

I've done it all -- long car commute, short car commute, walk, bike, subway, bus.  I've been car free since the transmission went out on Big D a few years back.  Here she is parked on McMillan St. in Cincinnati on a wintry nite:

 

<img src="http://photos.yafro.com/pics2/i/20040725/3/0/4/b/5/304b5b7900eb897d0ac486cff2232d160_full.jpg">

 

 

I'm perhaps putting this thread in danger of taking a wild tangent, but I'm a bit critical of the health benefits trumpeted in association with walking and bicycle commutes.  I'm not disputing that calories are burned and that one does achieve a better level of fitness, but there is a danger by not having a car that one assumes they're in great shape.  I learned this the hard way when I hadn't had a car for a year and a half, had been walking to work and working on my feet for up to 70 hours a week, and then promptly tore a muscle when I went back to the gym.  Not the first time I went back, but wihin a week or two.  Also, the cardio strength built up by walking and working on your feet doesn't carry over to bicycling or running, and although biking is many times faster than walking, I suspect walking is a better overall exercise. 

 

Yep, you're getting it from me. I'm sure you're aware that most of the costs of driving a car that you own are the fixed costs of owning said car. Even with you having your car on your parents' insurance, your costs per mile are astronomical for owning a car that you drive so little. You'd be farther ahead if you took that car for 100-mile drives into the country each weekend to lower your per-mile costs. Or, better yet, sell the car, invest the money and take a freakin' taxi each day! You'd still be farther ahead.

 

The ragging continues....just trying to save the spendthrifts amongst us.

 

KJP

 

 

i'm not really sure what fixed costs you are speaking of, i've spent a whopping 30 bucks on the car this year excluding gasoline costs. Round trip taxi? at least 4-5 bucks each way. Riding the semi-reliable #9, 3 bucks each day plus associated time costs (about 25 minutes each way).

Financing/leasing, depreciation, stuff like that.

 

KJP

"I'm a bit critical of the health benefits trumpeted in association with walking and bicycle commutes.  I'm not disputing that calories are burned and that one does achieve a better level of fitness, but there is a danger by not having a car that one assumes they're in great shape.  I learned this the hard way when I hadn't had a car for a year and a half, had been walking to work and working on my feet for up to 70 hours a week, and then promptly tore a muscle when I went back to the gym.  Not the first time I went back, but wihin a week or two.  Also, the cardio strength built up by walking and working on your feet doesn't carry over to bicycling or running, and although biking is many times faster than walking, I suspect walking is a better overall exercise. "

 

I don't think anyone would suggest that commuting via foot or bike translates into any kind of athletic capacity. Your muscle tear is simply anecdotal - you may not have been training properly, you said yourself that you weren't taking care of yourself (working too long which would mean you weren't getting rest and time for your body to heal itself).

 

My own experience and it's also anecdotal - I recently went to a party at an acquaintance's place in ex-urbia. Let's just say that the contrast between the city dwellers (aka more prone to walking) and the ex-urbanites (more car-dependent) was alarming. Those of us who live in the city were in the kitchen and one person said "has anyone noticed something?" and we all knew what they were talking about.

 

KJP, let's not poo-poo the pope too much - after all, if anyone is in a position to lecture about the joys of being car-free in Cleveland - that would be me.  :-D

either bus/bike/ or walk depending on day/weather/time/and where i'm going

a quick story regarding those walks to and from the Jake that I mentioned earlier...

 

Eyeing the long line for the "Fatty Wagon" (a shuttle bus that runs on discarded cooking oil) at the Great Lakes Brewing Co., I suggested walking the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge to the game instead.  One of my friends (a suburbanite) gasped, but was excited about doing so, since she'd never done it before.  The next day, she called me up to tell me how "sore" she was.  I asked if it was from all the clapping and cheering during the 13 inning game we'd seen.  She said, "No!  It was from all that walking!" 

 

This surprised me at the time, but come to think of it, she probably walked more that night than she had in the entire previous month...

 

That's not to say you can't be car-free or use a car and be totally healthy living in the 'burbs, because let's face it, many suburbs offer much better recreation options than the inner city.  But her lifestyle has pretty much left out the option of walking anywhere, which is kind of sad!

^That is so insane in this country how utterly stupid it is that someone gasps at walking and is sore!  Exercise in the US means driving to a gym and circling around until a close parking spot is found, then taking an elevator up... to walk on a tread mill and use a stair climber machine.  It is almost comical, but I have a friend like that who won't walk anywhere, and thinks that the only exercise possible is a planned daily activity at a gym. 

 

BTW- I take a bus or train, takes about 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic.

 

 

^I agree, whats wrong with people thes days. I went to a Reds game with some friends. I wanted to park in the $2 P&G garage on 6th, but they had to park in the $10 Olympian garage right by the stadium. Anyone ever looked at that garage. Its kind of a neat structure and there are no ramps between levels, each of the 3 levels access the sloped street at different points.

KJP, let's not poo-poo the pope too much - after all, if anyone is in a position to lecture about the joys of being car-free in Cleveland - that would be me.  :-D

 

I ain't poo-pooing the Pope. I'm ragging and nagging on him.  :shoot:

 

KJP

" I'm a bit critical of the health benefits trumpeted in association with walking and bicycle commutes."

Since I went ped it has become very clear to me that my likely cause of death will be getting nailed by some cage pilot.

 

Mark

As of 2:30, a day-and-a-half since the initial posting, the results are 50-50 between those who use private automobiles (single or multiple occupancy) and those who don't (public transit, bike, walk).  That's 20 votes in each category...how very interesting!

If we only had a poll of actual people, it would swing a lot more to the autos I presume.

 

Not that you people arn't real, your just concious (sp?).

>I don't think anyone would suggest that commuting via foot or bike translates into any kind of athletic capacity. Your muscle tear is simply anecdotal - you may not have been training properly, you said yourself that you weren't taking care of yourself (working too long which would mean you weren't getting rest and time for your body to heal itself).

 

I agree with you, so my point is that yes, you are going to be in better health than a potato(e) but don't mistake yourself for being in the same shape as a car driving 3 sport athlete. 

 

>city dwellers (aka more prone to walking) and the ex-urbanites (more car-dependent) was alarming. Those of us who live in the city were in the kitchen and one person said "has anyone noticed something?" and we all knew what they were talking about.

 

One of my friends got a job in New York after living in Athens for a few years, where he like me was doing more walking than the average American, but he still lost a lot of weight soon after he moved there and looks a lot healthier.  I think in New York the average person is not only walking a ton but also climbing a lot of steps, both to upper floor apartments and offices but also in the subway. 

 

^Don't forget going carless means carrying things also...last night I lugged home over 50 lbs of groceries.  Those kinds of of little things make a difference.

I once heard that a housewife walked 2 miles a day, but because it isn't strenous and concentrated, its not as effective as a set exercise time.

i am dependent on the iron pony express. i work all around manhattan and the boroughs and mostly take the subway and sometimes an additional bus transfer. i can even walk to a couple places. the commute time is between 10min to an hour each way depending on where i go that day.

 

lots of walking, i prob walk an hour a day, much more on weekends. beside work stuff like groceries and dry cleaner and etc mean lots of trips.

 

sometimes that's all a pain, like today when it was pouring rain or when you have to carry too much dry cleaning, but mostly i like it.

Yes, walking is much more the norm and necessity in NYC, which seems great to someone like me, but if you happen to be handicapped, forget about it!  I really don't know how someone in a wheelchair can live in New York...the subways may be getting better, but they're still decades from being ADA compliant.

 

As for Cleveland and much of Ohio, walking isn't a necessity so much as a choice because driving and parking is so much cheaper and more convenient than in denser/older cities like Boston or New York.  You can usually find a spot on your street, if not in your driveway/garage and parking garages downtown will not bleed you dry and tend to let you out IN the building you're going to.  I don't like this, but it sure is practical!

I'm biased, but to me, "practical" means having all your daily needs within a 10 minute walk of your residence.  That kind of convenience beats the pants off cheap parking any day.