Okaloosa County BOCC — August 16, 2016 — Access EC Rider TDP - August Draft Report — reading text

making more than $50,000 in annual income since 2000, as shown in Table 2-8. This trend of higher incomes is consistent with the increase in the number of households with three or more vehicles, which has also increased 15% since 2000, indicating more disposable income for transportation. Table 2-8: 2000, 2010, and 2014 Household Income % Change Characteristic 2000 2010 2014 2000–2014 Household Income Under $10,000 6.4% 7.0% 6.1% -4.7% $10,000–$49,999 53.5% 41.4% 37.6% -29.7% $50,000 or more 40.1% 51.6% 56.3% 40.4% Poverty Status Above poverty level 91.16% 89.4% 86.6% -5.0% Below poverty level 8.84% 10.60% 13.4% 51.6% Source: 2000 Census, 2010 Census, ACS 2014 ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 15 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions In addition, areas with lower per-capita income will result in a higher reliance on transit use. Okaloosa has a lower percentage of households with income below the poverty line compared to the state. According to the 2010 Census, the population living in poverty was 13.4%, slightly below the statewide average of 16.3%. Data from the 2009–2013 ACS confirms that low-income workers represent the largest group of those who use public transit for transportation. The majority of transit riders in the county were from low-income households, with 90.4% of transit riders having a household income of $10,000–$24,999, as shown in Table 2-9. This table also shows the means of transportation for workers according to income in Okaloosa County. Table 2-9: Means of Transportation According to Income Total Drove Alone Carpooled Public Transit Income Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate* Total workers age 16 and over with earnings 85,532 68,987 9,742 716 $1–$9,999 or loss 13.0% 11.5% 17.4% 0.0% $10,000–$14,999 10.3% 9.6% 10.5% 61.9% $15,000–$24,999 21.7% 20.6% 27.6% 28.5% $25,000–$34,999 14.3% 14.1% 14.2% 0.0% $35,000–$49,999 15.5% 16.1% 18.2% 0.0% $50,000–$64,999 9.7% 10.9% 5.2% 0.0% $65,000–$74,999 4.7% 5.3% 1.3% 0.0% $75,000 or more 10.9% 11.9% 5.6% 9.6% *Contains a very high margin of error Source: 2009-2013 ACS Map 2-4 illustrates the areas with the highest percentage of households that were below the poverty line in 2014. The northern area of Crestview, the western side of Wright, and a pocket in southern Fort Walton Beach had the highest percentage of households below the poverty line. These areas correspond to the areas with the highest percentage of minority populations. The highest per-capita income portions of the county are along the waterfront areas, and the lowest are found in pockets of Crestview and Fort Walton Beach. Figure 2-2 shows the distribution of income for residents in Okaloosa County. The median income during this time period was $57,640. The largest income bracket includes households with annual incomes of $50,000–$74,999, representing 17.6% of the population. In 2014, 31.6% of households had incomes of $35,000–$74,999 annually, a rough representation of the middle class. Population and Housing Densities Population and dwelling unit densities (measured by persons per square mile) are key factors to consider when planning for transit, as they reveal the potential in the number of transit riders within a concentrated area. Much of Okaloosa County has a relatively low population density. The average household size for Okaloosa County in 2010 was 2.96 persons. According to the 2013 Okaloosa County Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP), between 2000 and 2015 there were no significant changes in average household size within Okaloosa County. Larger families generally were found in the suburban areas of Fort ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 16 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Walton Beach, and smaller families generally were found along the coast. Although the coastal areas have smaller household sizes, they are also the areas that have the highest population density, especially the Fort Walton Beach area (Okaloosa TDSP 2013). Figure 2-2: Okaloosa County Annual Household Income $150,000 to $200,000 or more, Less than $10,000, $10,000 to $199,999, 4.5% 3.5% 6.1% $14,999, 3.6% $15,000 to $100,000 to $24,999, 9.7% $149,999, 14.4% $25,000 to $34,999, 10.3% $75,000 to $99,999, 16.3% $50,000 to $35,000 to $74,999, 17.6% $49,999, 14.0% Source: 2014 ACS 1-year Estimate Maps 2-5 through 2-8 provide selected characteristics for Okaloosa County that are particularly relevant to the Access EC Rider TDP based on population and housing data from the NWFRPM. Maps 2-5 and 2-6 show population densities by traffic analysis zone (TAZ) for 2015 and 2025, respectively. Based on the NWFRPM data, higher densities within the county continue to be within the coastal areas, whereas most population growth is projected to take place in the central portion of the county along I-10 and SR 85 between 2015 and 2025, as well as within the Fort Walton Beach area. Maps 2-7 and 2-8 show the dwelling unit density by TAZ for 2015 and 2025, respectively. Like the population maps, the higher dwelling unit densities are concentrated primarily along the coastal areas of Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Valparaiso, and Niceville. Much of the growth in dwelling units between now and 2025 is projected to occur in the Crestview area. The dwelling unit densities do not consider vacancy rates; according to the Okaloosa TDSP, there are unusually high vacancy rates in Destin and Miramar Beach, primarily due to a higher number of seasonal vacation homes. It is also worth noting that areas with more affordable housing within the county are generally considered to be within Crestview and the unincorporated areas north of Crestview. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 17 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Map 2-4: Low-Income Population Source: 2010-2014 ACS 5-Year Estimates ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 18 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Map 2-5: Existing Population Density (2015) Source: NWFRPM ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 19 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Map 2-6: Future Population Density (2025) Source: NWFRPM ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 20 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Map 2-7: Existing Dwelling Unit Density (2015) Source: NWFRPM ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 21 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Map 2-8: Future Dwelling Unit Density (2025) Source: NWFRPM ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 22 Section 2 – Baseline Conditions Transportation Disadvantaged Population Florida Statutes, Chapter 427, §427.011(1), defines Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) persons as: Those persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation and are, therefore, dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities, or children who are handicapped or high-risk or at risk as defined in s. 411.202. The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners provides public transportation to the transportation disadvantaged (TD) population of Okaloosa County. When serving TD populations, priority is given to older adults and persons with disabilities or who are economically disadvantaged in Okaloosa County. TD service also is provided based on needs; medical needs and life-sustaining activities are given higher priority than business or recreation. Service for the TD population is funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), FDOT, the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD), local governments, and social service agencies. The 2014 TD population was estimated at 62,277 persons, and the unduplicated passenger head count (UDPHC) of persons provided paratransit transportation services was 5,812 according to the Florida CTD. Table 2-10 presents the trend in the TD population and TD passengers in Okaloosa County between 2012 and 2014. The potential TD population serviced in 2013–2014 was estimated to be 9% according to the Florida CTD’s 2014 Annual Operation Reports (AOR). TD passenger ridership fluctuated between 2012 and 2014. Although the county’s potential TD population increased overall by 2.4% during this three-year period, there was a significant decrease in the number of TD passengers served from 2013 to 2014. This is likely due to funding shortfalls, as changes made in Medicare funding occurred statewide and Florida experienced a decrease of 19.7% in TD trips statewide. Table 2-10: Okaloosa County TD Population and Passenger Trends % Change Year 2012 2013 2014 (2012–2014) Potential TD Population 60,814 60,814 62,277 2.4% TD Passengers Served (UDPHC) 6,682 6,990 5,812 -13.0% Source: Florida CTD 2012–2014 AOR Table 2-11 summarizes the TD trips by purpose and passenger type that occurred between 2013 and 2014. Medical and employment are the most frequent trip purposes. As for passenger type, low-income persons (26%) and older adults (16.8%) made the most trips outside of passengers classified under “Other.” Children were another large proportion of passengers,