Transportation networks move us around our communities. They get us to our place of employment, to our homes, to our friends, and to our families. Transportation networks can also be a form of recreation in themselves—trails and sidewalks give us space to bike, walk, and run.

The Transportation Section measures our transportation network, how we get to work, and the availability of vehicles and alternative transportation for residents.

Selected Visualizations

Below are sample indicators from the transportation section of the Data Book. Download the Data Book to see all of the indicators that are included in this section.

Public Transit Access

Public transit provides residents access to a network of trains and buses that connect people to work and daily errands. For this analysis, public transit includes bus stops and train stations on regular routes but does not include Park-N-Ride lines.

To measure public transit access, the population within a 1/4-mile buffer around transit stops was defined and is shown as a percent of the community’s total population. Service frequency was not considered in this analysis.

Generally transit is more readily available in the City of Cleveland and Inner Ring Suburbs, while people in Outer Ring Suburbs have less access to transit stops.

Vehicle Ownership

Data on vehicle ownership shows the number of passenger cars, vans, and light trucks kept at home and available for use by household members. This includes vehicles that are owned or leased, but does not include motorcycles, recreational vehicles, or immobile vehicles.

Vehicle ownership can assist in understanding the need for transportation methods such as public transit to be available for those who do not have access to a vehicle.

Vehicle ownership is lowest in the City of Cleveland, in which almost a quarter of all households do not have access to a vehicle, compared to 4.8% of households in the Outer Ring Suburbs without vehicle access.

Commute Method

Commute method describes the main form of transportation workers used to get to work. The data can assist in determining needs for infrastructure, parking, bus routes, and other investments; however, commute method is only one measure of transportation need.

In this report, methods of commute have been grouped into six categories:

  • Drove Alone
  • Carpooled: carpooled with multiple people
  • Public Transit: used a bus, rapid train, or other form of transit
  • Walked or Biked
  • Worked at Home
  • Other: other means such as taxi, ride share, or motorcycle

Additional Visualizations

Disclaimer: County Planning’s Guidebook Series is intended for reference purposes only. County Planning assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this report. The information contained within is provided ‘as is’ with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness.

Top image: CPL 150 Festival by Erik Drost; accessed 6/4/20; licensed under CC BY 2.0