Solo commuters stay steady

Census shows Washington has one of nation's lowest single-commuter rates

PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published August 20

OLYMPIA -- The number of commuters who drive alone to work in Washington held steady during the last decade, even as the number increased nationwide, the Census reports.

While the nationwide figure jumped by about 10 million between 1990 and 2000, here in Washington it held steady, with 74 percent of commuters eschewing carpools, mass transit or other options, and driving alone to work. Nationally, the percentage is 76 percent.

Washington also does well in a state-by-state comparison: 39 other states have higher percentages of single-car commuters.

"I'm actually pleasantly surprised to hear that we held steady," said Pete Swensson, a senior planner at the Thurston Regional Planning Council.

"Like just about everywhere, the trend for Washington over the last 50 years has been consistently toward more commuters driving alone."

Several factors may have helped the state buck the national trend, local transportation experts say. One is the state's Growth Management Act, passed in the early 1990s.

The Growth Management Act was intended to slow urban sprawl, which many cite as the biggest factor in increasing commuters' reliance on their own cars.

"When you have people going home to increasingly spread-out neighborhoods, further from an urban core, it makes it more difficult to plan carpooling or to access bus lines," Swensson said.

The Census' commuting numbers broken down by county won't be available until next year, Swensson said.

But because Thurston County has grown significantly since 1990 -- especially along the fringes of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater -- Swensson said he expects that single-driver commutes will have increased locally.

"If you're a pessimist, you can't be disappointed," Swensson said.

Another factor in keeping the state's percentage down could be the state's 1990 Commute Trip Reduction Act, which requires employers with 100 or more employees who arrive at work during peak hours to create incentives for employees to seek transportation alternatives.

"Were it not for that, I expect we'd see Washington increasing along with everybody else," said T.J. Johnson, who helps coordinate the program for the Washington state Department of Transportation.

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