Nearly half of downtown commuters took public transit in 2017, according to a survey of businesses. That’s a 48 percent increase in the number of commuters over the past seven years.
That leaves roughly one-quarter of commuters traveling in cars alone or riding motorcycles, a 10 percent reduction over the period in review.
“Transit works and we need more of it as quickly as possible,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a press release. “From working with employers to increase telecommuting to speeding up light rail, we can expand our transportation options that make it easier and safer for Seattle residents to get around.”
Although new people are taking advantage of public transit options, Seattle is still a car-centric city. An analysis by The Seattle Times’ Gene Balk from August 2017 showed that car ownership in the city between 2010 and 2015 kept pace with the overall increase in population, rising 12 percent over five years.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC
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