A Boom on Texas Roads
The baby boom — that fat lump that has been moving through the demographic snake since the end of World War II — is now made up of people between 45 and 65 years old, give or take.
They are starting to retire, prompting some of the growing conversations about pensions. Their bodies are getting old, which explains some of the ballooning advertising about drugs for this or that. Seen all the hearing aid ads in the paper? Products for gray hair? Couples sitting in bathtubs next to lakes?
As of 2010, 13 percent of the nation’s population was 65 or ...
Comments (8)
Leo Agustinus
thanks for the information sir
http://www.doltuku.co
gypsy314 ne
Hey how about deporting some illegal aliens to clear up our roads?
Glenn Gadbois
This story makes little sense. Baby Boomers (a population bubble) have been driving more and more for decades. The only thing that may happen as they get older, is NOT new traffic as the article suggests. But traffic may lessen as Boomers, may self-regulate to drive less and their trips move out of peak hours (when we get most of the traffic).
Conversely, this article dismissively gives one sentence to the other large population bubble, Millennial generation, and this population is driving less (25% by some reports) and getting drivers licenses much later.
Since overall vehicle miles travelled is declining (and has been for most of this decade), I think my conclusions are more accurate than those conveyed in this article.
Billy Ray's Barbeque King via Texas Tribune on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BillyRaysBarbequeKing
Christine Lund
As I travel from relative to friend to relative to friend, trying to keep from being too much of a burden on any one person, I am amazed at the number of homeless that are also doing the same thing. Social 'Security and Disability pays so little that it's impossible to exist without outside help.
Is this what I paid so much money for? For over forty years, my paycheck was Prepaid Void because they took all my salary and more for taxes. No benefits, food, sick days, vacations, insurance, pension or even breaks. Everyone has had their hand in my pocket and I am sick of listening to the rich whining about THEIR taxes. They disgust me.
They are cutting Park staff which makes it even less safe for the traveler. I keep asking my legislators for cuts in camping prices for the poor in parks across America. Federal or state, the parks are too high for poor people. You have to move every two weeks and this costs me more gas money. If I want electric, it about doubles the cost per night. Ten dollars a night to have a heating blanket in my front seat bed? Yes, we are on the road, living on the road.
Can someone please make a car with a decent convertible bed with heat and a power storage unit? Maybe a small microwave for cups and bowls? Windows that can fog over so as to impede sightseers? A seat that vibrates when motion sensors sense something near the car? The only alternative is in some group home with no privacy or anything to do but count the hours.
Jim Vance
...and the young-ish digital crowd that still needs to get from A to B will be the first wave toward early adoption of autonomous vehicle technology as the operational capability becomes embedded in stages throughout an increasing share of the vehicle fleet. As the older, legacy-manual-drive population segment becomes less and less capable of driving themselves safely, autonomous vehicle operation will become a great deal more appealing as their ability to consistently drive safely declines and they face removal of their driver's license (whether from family pressure or administrative decision).
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Better make us take annual driving and reaction tests because overall this population group is unsafe behind the wheel.
JustOne Voice
The article states "The policy folks will have to work out what needs to be built and who is going to pay for it and who gets to drive on those roads once they are built. They will not be deciding alone: every politician knows that older voters vote like crazy." However, the issue is not so simple as miles of roads per 1000 or per driver.
There may be more drivers per 1000 since the percent of adults is increasing BUT the driving habit of those drivers are changing too. The impact of retirement-aged adults on traffic and congestion is much lower than working adults.
For example, the retirees drive less (less than half as much per year in my case) than working aged families with commutes to work, kids to deliver to soccer practice and stay-cations to take. And retirees tend to drive less during the "rush hours" when congestion is the greatest.
When planning roads, I hope that Mr. Murdock and other planners do a more complete analysis of the requirements than a simple projection of driver population trends. It's hard enough to pay for roads we need ... much less the ones we don't really need.