market analysis: cincinnati/dayton region · the market analysis was conducted at a county level as...

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Ohio Department of Transportation

MARKET ANALYSIS: CINCINNATI/DAYTON REGION Overview The Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study included a market analysis to understand the existing conditions in Ohio related to the demand for and availability of transit service. The study is designed to understand where there are needs for transit service and how well needs are matched with existing service.

The market analysis was conducted at a county level as well as from a statewide perspective, with an analysis prepared for each of Ohio’s 88 counties. Results from the statewide market analysis are published as a separate document. Results for each of the individual counties are grouped into five regional summary documents. This document includes the individual county write-ups for the 17 counties in southwest Ohio surrounding Cincinnati and Dayton. It includes data on the counties’ historical trends related to population and employment density as well as local socio-economic characteristics. The analysis also briefly describes available transit service.

Methodology The market analysis describes existing conditions, including changes observed between 2000 and 2012. The analysis considers transit demand from the perspective of 1) development patterns; and 2) demographic characteristics that tend to be associated with higher use or reliance on public transportation services. For purposes of this study, transit demand related to development patterns is based on population and employment density. Demographic characteristics related to transit reliance are measured based on the combined number of low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, older adults (65+), and zero vehicle households. Data is reported for three years: 2000, 2007, and 2012, reflecting the 2000 U.S Census and the 2007 and 2012 American Community Survey datasets. The maps are all based on 2012 data.

Data on the available transit services was drawn from several sources, including the Status of Transit database published by ODOT. It also includes information collected by the Nelson\Nygaard team as part of their site visits and interviews with each of Ohio’s 62 transit agencies. In addition, some data was collected through web-searches and follow up telephone interviews with transit administrators.

Cincinnati/Dayton Region Counties Click on any one of the following counties to get to the individual market analysis:

Auglaize County

Brown County

Butler County

Champaign County

Clark County

Clermont County

Clinton County

Darke County

Fayette County

Greene County

Hamilton County

Mercer County

Miami County

Montgomery County

Preble County

Shelby County

Warren County

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | 1

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Market Analysis DRAFT


AUGLAIZE COUNTY

Overview

─ Auglaize County is located in west central Ohio, close to the Indiana border. Auglaize County is part of the Lima-Van Wert-Celina, OH Combined Statistical Area.

─ Wapakoneta is the largest city in the county and is the county seat. Wapakoneta is Principal City of the Wapakoneta, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The nearest urbanized areas are Lima, 17 miles to the north of Wapakoneta and Fort Wayne, IN, 87 miles northwest.

Factors Influencing Transit Reliance and Demand

Employment, Demographics and Socio-Economic Characteristics

─ Auglaize County's population has decreased by 775 people since 2000, a 1.7% decrease; most of the decline occurred between 2007 and 2012.

─ The number of youth in Auglaize County has decreased by 2.5 percentage points.

─ The older adult population has continued to climb, rising by more than 550 people, or 1.4 percentage points. Older adults now represent 15.8% of the county population.

─ Auglaize County has fewer low-income individuals (18.2%) as compared to the average Ohio county (24.8%); however, this population category has grown 6.2 percentage points since 2000. Zero-car households remained steady.

Figure 1 Selected County Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics: Historical Trends

Characteristic 2000 2007* 2012* Change 2000-2012

Total Population 46,611 46,516 45,836 775

Youths (5-17) 9,709 (20.8%) 8,773 (18.9%) 8,419 (18.4%) 1,290 (2.5)

Older Adults (65+) 6,692 (14.4%) 6,852 (14.7%) 7,245 (15.8%) 553 (1.4)

Persons with Disabilities^ 6,713 (15.7%) 6,383 (14.9%) 5,191 (11.5%) -

Low-Income Individuals† 5,455 (12.0%) 5,979 (13.1%) 8,218 (18.2%) 2,763 (6.2)

Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 704 (4.1%) 721 (4.0%) 735 (4.0%) 31 (0.1) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 11% of the current population in Auglaize County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Auglaize County had 17,426 jobs within the county. In that same year, 12,415 residents of Auglaize County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 59.3% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area with the highest transit reliance within Auglaize County is Wapakoneta (see Figure 2).

─ St. Mary's also exhibits moderate transit reliance.

─ Areas outside the county showing moderate transit reliance include Lima to the north in Allen County and Lakeview to the southeast in Logan County.

Transit Supportive Development Patterns

─ Auglaize County is a predominately lower-density county with higher densities clustered around Wapakoneta and St. Mary’s. Of the roughly 45,800 people in the county, 60.9% live in areas of higher density and 39.1% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Wapakoneta and St. Mary’s are the primary areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3). The Route 66 corridor leading south from St. Mary’s includes some high density pockets of population and jobs in New Bremen and Minster, plus the areas of Waynesfield and New Knoxville exhibit transit potential. However, these densities are tightly clustered and would likely be difficult to serve with anything except a demand-response zone.

─ Both St. Mary’s and Wapakoneta’s demand for transit service suggest that deviated-fixed-route (orange on Figure 3) service may be more appropriate than standard fixed-route (red on Figure 3) services.

─ Areas with the most transit supportive densities outside of the county are in Lima to the north and Celina to the west.

Existing Transit Services

─ Transit service is not provided in Auglaize County.

─ 2012 Transit Riders per Capita1: NA

─ 2012 Operating Expenditure per Capita1: NA

Opportunities, Challenges, and Needs

─ Auglaize County is generally better off than other Ohio counties in terms of income, but has experienced some growth in low-income individuals since 2000.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Auglaize County (45,836).




─ In addition, Auglaize County is primarily rural. There are only a handful of areas with significant concentrations of people or jobs, located in Wapakoneta and St. Mary’s.

─ Some socio-economic characteristics suggest a need for public transportation in Auglaize County, but the county’s development patterns my pose a challenge to operating cost effective transit service. Similarly positioned counties in Ohio operate demand response service for people living in rural areas. Potential partnerships with Allen County to the north or places like Celina in Mercer County to the west could be explored to connect the high-demand areas in all three counties.

─ Given the county’s rural nature, many Auglaize County residents likely go to Fort Wayne, IN, Lima, or even Columbus (100 miles away) for goods, jobs, and services.




Figure 2 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics Affecting the Reliance on Transit Service

Source: 2008 - 2012 5-year ACS Estimates; TIGER/Line Files; ESRI; ODOT




Figure 3 Development Patterns (Population and Employment Density) Influencing Transit Service Design

Source: 2011 LEHD; 2010 Census SF1 100% data; TIGER/Line Files; ESRI; ODOT Note: The "defined transit service area" indicates the official boundaries of the agency service area and does not necessarily indicate the coverage of the current routes in operation.




BROWN COUNTY

Overview

─ Brown County is located along the southern edge of Ohio, bordering Kentucky.

─ Georgetown is the largest village in the county and is the county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Cincinnati in Hamilton County, which is located about 40 miles northwest of Georgetown.



─ Brown County's population has increased by 5.6% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Brown County decreased by a small amount since 2000, but represents a smaller percentage of the population today.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by approximately 1,700 over the past 12 years. The percentage of the population in this age category rose by more than 3% since 2000.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000. With this increase, the county is somewhat less well-off than an average county in Ohio (27.5% versus 24.8%). The share of zero-vehicle households remained consistent at about 5.5%.



Total Population 42,285 43,815 44,641 2,356

Youths (5-17) 8,689 (20.5%) 8,375 (19.1%) 8,048 (18.0%) 641 (2.5)

Older Adults (65+) 4,914 (11.6%) 5,521 (12.6%) 6,591 (14.8%) 1,677 (3.1)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 17% of the current population in Brown County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Brown County had 7,650 jobs within the county. In that same year, 12,594 residents of Brown County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 77.4% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Brown County are primarily within southwestern part of the county around the villages of Georgetown, Mount Orab, Higginsport, and Hamersville, exhibiting moderate-high transit reliance (see Figure 2).

─ Most of the remaining county shows moderate-low to low transit reliance.

─ Several areas in adjacent counties have moderate to high transit reliance, including Hillsboro in Highland County and east Clermont County near the county border.


─ Brown County is a predominately low-density county with minor pockets of higher density around the villages of Georgetown and Mount Orab. Of the 44,600 people in the county, 23.4% live in areas of higher density and 76.6% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Georgetown and Mount Orab are the only areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Similar to the results above, Hillsboro and select areas within Clermont County, including Felicity, Bethel, Williamsburg, and Batavia, have transit supportive densities outside of the county.


─ Transit service is not provided in Brown County.




─ Brown County is a relatively low-income county, with 28% of the population in low-income households.

─ In addition to having higher poverty levels, Brown County is primarily low-density. Mount Orab and Georgetown are the only areas with a notable concentration of people or jobs.

─ The socio-economic characteristics in Holmes County suggest some need for public transportation, especially in the eastern half of the county. Counties with similar levels

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Brown County (44,641).




of transit reliance and population in Ohio operate demand response service for people living in rural areas.

─ Given that close to 80% of the residents leave Brown County for work, combined with a high percentage of low-income households, there may be need for employment transportation.

─ The closest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, which is located about 40 miles from Georgetown. Cincinnati is the primary urban center for residents of Brown County who travel to the region for jobs, services, and shopping.




Figure 2 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics Affecting Reliance on Transit Service





BUTLER COUNTY

Overview

─ Butler County is located along the western edge of southwest Ohio, bordering Indiana.

─ Hamilton and Middletown are the two largest cities in the county; both are part of the Cincinnati-Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, which is located 20 miles south of Hamilton.



─ Butler County's population has increased by nearly 37,000 people since 2000, an increase of over 11%.

─ While the number of youth in Butler County has increased by nearly 4,400, the percentage of the population in this category decreased by 0.7 percentage points.

─ The percentage of older adults aged 65+ increased over the past 12 years by about one percentage point, remaining relatively stable at 11-12% of the population.

─ The county experienced a 65% growth in low-income individuals, representing an increase of 7 percentage points of total population since 2000, though more households own cars. Butler County's low-income population (21.3%) is slightly lower than an average county in Ohio (24.8%).




Youths (5-17) 63,190 (19.0%) 64,105 (18.1%) 67,576 (18.3%) 4,386 (0.7)

Older Adults (65+) 35,557 (10.7%) 38,633 (10.9%) 43,904 (11.9%) 8,347 (1.2)



Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 7,558 (6.1%) 7,260 (5.6%) 7,363 (5.5%) 195 (0.7) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 11% of the current population in Butler County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Butler County had 134,171 jobs within the county. In that same year, 99,519 residents of Butler County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 62.0% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Butler County are Hamilton and Middletown (see Figure 2).

─ Other areas showing a moderate to high transit reliance include Oxford, Monroe, and Fairfield.

─ Springdale and Sharonville, located just south of the county’s border in Hamilton County, show high to very high transit reliance. Springboro, in Warren County, which is about 10 miles east of Middletown, also has high to very high transit reliance.


─ Butler County has high-density areas in the eastern half of the county around the cities of Middletown, Hamilton, and Fairfield. Oxford is the only area in the western half of the county that shows higher density. Of the roughly 369,800 people in the county, 90.7% live in areas of higher density and 9.3% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Middletown, Trenton, Oxford, Hamilton, and areas south of Hamilton along Dixie Highway have notable population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ These transit-supportive areas show demand for a mix of fixed route services (red on Figure 3) and deviated fixed route services (orange on Figure 3). Hamilton shows the highest density overall, with blocks often supporting standard fixed routes.

─ Areas surrounding the southeastern border of the county, including Springdale and Sharonville, have transit supportive densities.


─ Transit service (fixed-route and paratransit) is available through the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) in the cities of Middletown, Oxford, Hamilton, and Fairfield. The service extends to the Tri-County Mall, located just south of Fairfield.

─ BCRTA also manages Middletown Transit System (MTS), which provides fixed-routes and paratransit service throughout the city of Middletown.

─ BCRTA/MTS offers county-wide demand response service that is available to everyone. BCRTA also operates additional door-to-door service in the evening known as SafeRide around Miami University.

─ BCRTA funds a SORTA (Cincinnati Metro) express route that operates between downtown Cincinnati and park-and-ride lots located in or near Butler County.




─ BCRTA operating characteristics:

Four commuter routes Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Eight fixed-routes in Oxford Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:00 AM; 5 routes on Saturday, 12:30 PM – 3:00 AM; and 3 routes on Sunday, 12:30 PM – 1:00 AM

Three commuter routes operate with a two-hour frequency and one operates with a 60-minute frequency.

Fixed-routes serving Miami University operate with a frequency of 15 to 30 minutes

Complementary ADA paratransit service within ¾-mile and during the same operating times of their fixed-routes

Regular demand response service Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM

SafeRide demand response service available only within the Oxford area, Monday – Saturday, 11:00 PM - 3:00 AM, and Sunday, 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM

─ MTS operating characteristics:

Four fixed-routes Monday - Friday, 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM, and Saturday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

All routes operate at a 60-minute frequency


─ Local funding is provided by contracts with Miami University, the Department of Developmental Disabilities, and Veterans Affairs. MTS receives $50,000 from the City of Middletown’s general fund; however, there is no dedicated local source of funding for transit

─ 2012 Transit Riders per Capita1: 0.21

─ 2012 Operating Expenditure per Capita1: $6.25


─ Butler County is highly diverse. The county has two smaller, older cities – Hamilton and Middletown – with a once-dominant heavy industry base. A mix of suburban communities that are generally oriented to Hamilton and Middletown also exist. The western and northern parts of the county are primarily rural, but Oxford, a sizeable college town, also exists in this area.

─ Butler County is in the heart of the evolving de facto merger of the Cincinnati and Dayton MSAs, oriented along I-75.

─ Poverty has increased in recent years but tends to be concentrated in Hamilton and Middletown, and has not increased to the same degree as in other Ohio counties.

─ Middletown is served by a traditional pulse-based fixed route system. However, financial limitations have precluded evening service to jobs and new service to employment sites along I-75.

─ The level of local match has made service expansion difficult to achieve.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Butler County (369,778).




─ BCRTA has no local funding base but has crafted a county-wide network that provides connectivity, albeit minimal, between Hamilton, Middletown, Oxford, northern Hamilton County via a SORTA operated express route (the Tri-County commercial area), and downtown Cincinnati.

─ The high rate of inter-county commuter travel is barely served by transit despite a high need for transit as suggested by socio-economic data.

─ The BCRTA-SORTA funding and service agreement has facilitated operation of the Butler County-Cincinnati express route.




CHAMPAIGN COUNTY

Overview

─ Champaign County is located in the west-central Ohio area.

─ Urbana is the largest city in the county and is the county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan areas are Dayton and Columbus, which are located about 40 miles of southwest and east of Urbana, respectively



─ Champaign County's population has increased by about 2.3% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Champaign County has decreased by nearly 300, a little more than 1% difference.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased over the past 12 years, now making up 15% of the total county population.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000, though more people are able to own cars. Overall, the county experienced about an 8% increase in low-income individuals, but the county is slightly better off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%).




Youths (5-17) 7,633 (19.6%) 6,944 (17.6%) 7,345 (18.5%) 288 (1.2)

Older Adults (65+) 4,906 (12.6%) 5,279 (13.4%) 6,001 (15.1%) 1,095 (2.5)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 14% of the current population in Champaign County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Champaign County had 9,517 jobs within the county. In that same year, 9,978 residents of Champaign County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 68.5% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Champaign County is Urbana (see Figure 2).

─ Springfield, Bellefontaine, and Sidney, located further south, north, and west of the county, respectively, also show moderate to high transit reliance.


─ Champaign County has a small pocket of medium density in the city of Urbana, located at the center of the county. The remainder of the county is low density. Of the roughly 39,800 people in the county, 29.2% live in areas of higher density and 70.8% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Urbana and St. Paris, located about 10 miles east of Urbana, are the only areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggests an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3). Demand suggests that deviated fixed-route service (orange on Figure 3) may be more appropriate than standard fixed-route services (red on Figure 3).

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are Springfield, Bellefontaine, and Sidney.


─ Demand response transit service is available countywide through the Champaign Transit System (CTS). The service is open to the general public.

─ CTS operating characteristics:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Out-of-county trips are provided for medical purpose only

─ Local funding largely comes from the county, which contributes about $30,000 annually.




─ Champaign County has experienced a significant increase in low-income individuals, who now comprise about 23% of the county’s population. The county is also aging; older adults now comprise 15% of the county’s population, up 2.5% since 2000.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Champaign County (39,794).




─ Champaign County is primarily rural. Although Urbana contains medical, shopping, and human services, many residents need to travel outside the county for shopping, jobs, and services. The nearest large community is Springfield, with Dayton and Columbus the nearest metropolitan areas.

─ Most CTS trips are made to reach medical services and appointments. The recent addition of a dialysis clinic in Champaign County has helped reduced CTS’ per passenger trip costs by avoiding the need for lengthy trips outside the county.

─ CTS faces challenges to continuing existing service due to limited funding and support.




CLARK COUNTY

Overview

─ Clark County is located in the west-southwest part of Ohio.

─ Springfield is the largest city in the county and is the county seat; the city and its immediate surrounding form the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 25 miles southwest of Springfield.



─ Clark County's population has decreased by 4.8% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Clark County has decreased by more than 3,000, or about 12%, and youth now represent a smaller percentage of the population.

─ The percentage of older adults aged 65+ increased over the past 12 years by 1.7 points, with this segment making up about 16% of the county population in 2012.

─ Low-income individuals increased from 18% in 2000 to 31% in 2012, which is a drastic increase and much higher than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). Fewer households own a vehicle, with an increase in zero-vehicle households of nearly 500.




Youths (5-17) 26,873 (18.6%) 24,716 (17.5%) 23,735 (17.2%) 3,138 (1.3)

Older Adults (65+) 21,262 (14.7%) 21,750 (15.4%) 22,620 (16.4%) 1,358 (1.7)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 16% of the current population in Clark County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Clark County had 48,459 jobs within the county. In that same year, 29,050 residents of Clark County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 53.2% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Clark County are Springfield and Enon, exhibiting moderate to high transit reliance (see Figure 2).

─ Areas showing high to very high transit reliance in close proximity to the Clark County are Huber Heights, Fairborn, and London.


─ Clark County shows much higher density in its center around Springfield and Northridge. The county also consists of a few higher density areas in the western part of the county in New Carlisle, Park Layne, and Enon. Of the roughly 137,700 people in the county, 76.4% live in areas of higher density and 23.6% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Springfield, New Carlisle, and Park Layne are the only notable areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Development patterns in Springfield indicate a demand for a mix of standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3) and deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3). Deviated fixed route service may be more appropriate for New Carlisle and Park Layne.

─ Huber Heights and Fairfield remain as areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county.


─ Transit service (fixed-route and paratransit) is available through the Springfield City Area Transit (SCAT) in the city of Springfield.

─ SCAT offers demand response service within the Springfield city limits and the Northridge area, located just north of Springfield.

─ SCAT operating characteristics:

Nine fixed-routes Monday - Friday, 6:40 AM – 5:40 PM

Seven routes operate at a 60-minute frequency and two routes operate at 30-minute frequency

Curb-to-curb ADA paratransit service during the same operating times of their fixed-routes

Demand response service Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM

─ Local funding is provided by the City of Springfield.







─ Clark County has experienced a significant increase in low-income individuals between 2000 and 2012, with 31.4% of the county’s population currently comprised of low-income individuals.

─ Service is generally confined to Springfield city limits. There is no countywide coverage.

─ SCAT has a robust system for a city of its size.

─ Most passengers use SCAT to reach jobs, shopping, and medical appointments.

─ The City’s tight financial condition has precluded the system from expanding.

─ The addition of evening service to provide enhanced access to jobs and opportunities is SCAT’s top priority, but this cannot be fulfilled given the City’s budget constraints.

─ Springfield is convenient to the Dayton area via SR 4 and I-70, but there are no inter-county services that connect Springfield residents with job opportunities in the Dayton and Fairborn areas.

─ SCAT is interested in building partnerships with local universities.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Clark County (137,735).




CLERMONT COUNTY

Overview

─ Clermont County is located along the southwest edge of Ohio along the Kentucky border.

─ Milford is the largest city in the county; it straddles the Clermont-Hamilton county line.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Cincinnati in Hamilton County, which is located about 25 miles west of the county seat, Batavia.



─ Clermont County's population has increased by 11.5% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Clermont County has increased by nearly 800, but the percentage of the population in this age category decreased by 1.7 points.

─ The percentage of older adults aged 65+ increased by nearly three full percentage points over the past 12 years, making up more than 12% of the county’s population.

─ Low-income individuals increased by nearly 60% since 2000, but this segment makes up only a somewhat larger percentage of the population when compared to other Ohio counties. Overall, the county remains much better off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). While zero-vehicle households increased by 250, the percentage of households without a vehicle remained under 5%.




Youths (5-17) 36,146 (20.3%) 36,720 (19.2%) 36,938 (18.6%) 792 (1.7)

Older Adults (65+) 16,747 (9.4%) 20,158 (10.5%) 24,388 (12.3%) 7,641 (2.9)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 12% of the current population in Clermont County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Clermont County had 52,121 jobs within the county. In that same year, 69,817 residents of Clermont County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 76.5% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Clermont County are Milford and west of New Richmond (see Figure 2).

─ Several areas throughout the county show a moderate to high transit reliance, including Batavia, Bethel, Felicity, Mulberry, and Newtonsville.

─ To the west of Clermont County, select areas surrounding Cincinnati show high t0 very high transit reliance. Areas along the eastern border of the county around Hamersville and Georgetown show moderate to high transit reliance.


─ Clermont County has small pockets of higher density areas throughout, including New Richmond, Amelia, Summerside, Batavia, and Milford. Medium density areas are shown in the communities of Bethel, Felicity, Owensville, and Williamsburg. Of the roughly 198,400 people in the county, 77.3% live in areas of higher density and 22.7% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ The villages of Batavia, Bethel, Owensville, Amelia, Milford, and New Richmond have small pockets of areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Many of the areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3) may be more appropriate than standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3).

─ Areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are shown throughout Hamilton County surrounding Cincinnati.


─ Transit service (fixed-route and paratransit) is available through the Clermont Transportation Connection (CTC). CTC operates two express routes to downtown Cincinnati, one from Amelia and another from New Richmond. CTC also has limited crosstown service between Felicity and Eastgate Mall via Amelia.

─ Additionally, CTC provides funding for three Cincinnati Metro routes servicing Clermont County, two routes in Milford and one route in the Eastgate Mall area.

─ CTC offers countywide demand response service that is open to everyone.

─ CTC provides a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NET) separate from demand response service for Medicaid recipients. The service is only open to medical appointments.

─ CTC operating characteristics:




Express routes Monday - Sunday, 5:30 AM – 9:00 AM and 3:15 PM – 6:30 PM, with 15- to 30-minute frequency

Crosstown shuttle between Felicity to Eastgate Mall, Tuesdays and Thursdays, northbound trip at 8:00 AM and southbound trip at 3:30 PM.


Demand response service Monday - Saturday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM

NET service Monday - Saturday, 4:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Three Cincinnati Metro routes Monday – Friday, 5:30 AM– 6:30 PM

─ Local funding is provided through local contracts and the Board of Clermont County Commissioners; however, there is no dedicated local source of funding for transit.




─ Clermont County’s adjacency to Cincinnati and Hamilton County has caused a substantial increase in population and potential reliance on public transit to employment sites and other opportunities.

─ Most new development has been residential and commercial, with only limited job site growth, which is oriented primarily along I-275. Residential development has primarily been in the form of scattered subdivisions and cul-de-sac streets, and commercial development has primarily been in the form of strip centers that are difficult to serve by transit.

─ CTC has designed its system to facilitate transferring with SORTA (Cincinnati Metro) to the maximum extent possible given the funding limitations of both agencies.

─ Pockets of poverty are concentrated in rural villages but are scattered throughout the county. Challenging topography causes travel times between communities to be relatively slow.

─ Minimal county financial support poses challenges to local match capabilities and the ability to obtain vehicles to meet intra-county and inter-county demand.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Clermont County (198,437).




CLINTON COUNTY

Overview

─ Clinton County is located in southwest Ohio.

─ Wilmington is the largest city in the county and county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 30 miles northwest of Wilmington.



─ Clinton County's population has increased by 3.4% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Clinton County has decreased by about 100, and youth now make up a smaller percentage of the population, a full 1% difference.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by close to 20% over the past 12 years, and this segment now makes up 14% of the total population.

─ Low-income individuals and zero-households increased by more than 5,000 and 300, respectively, since 2000. The increase in low-income individuals, from 16.8% to 29.4%, is relatively drastic among all Ohio counties. Overall, the county is less well-off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%).




Youths (5-17) 7,825 (19.3%) 7,693 (18.0%) 7,721 (18.4%) 104 (0.9)

Older Adults (65+) 4,932 (12.2%) 5,408 (12.7%) 5,876 (14.0%) 944 (1.9)



Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 1,069 (6.9%) 927 (5.6%) 1,373 (8.6%) 304 (1.6) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 15% of the current population in Clinton County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Clinton County had 16,085 jobs within the county. In that same year, 10,729 residents of Clinton County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 61.7% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Clinton County is Wilmington, exhibiting moderate to high transit reliance (see Figure 2).

─ Xenia and Hillsboro, located about 10 miles north and south, respectively, of Clinton County, are two primary areas outside of the county with high to very high transit reliance.


─ Clinton County shows high density development around Wilmington. The remainder of the county, however, is low density. Of the roughly 41,900 people in the county, 45.4% live in areas of higher density and 54.6% are in areas of lower density(based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Wilmington is the only area with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Demand for transit service in Wilmington suggests that deviated-fixed-route service (orange on Figure 3), may be more appropriate than standard fixed-route services (red on Figure 3).

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are Xenia and Hillsboro.


─ Wilmington Transit System (WTS) offers demand response service in city of Wilmington. Traveling outside of the city limit can be accommodated depending on availability. The service is open to the general public.

─ WTS operating characteristics:


Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

─ Local funding is provided through Wilmington’s general fund and contracts, including city schools that use the service for specialized transportation.



1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Clinton County (41,910).





─ Clinton County has experienced a significant increase in low-income individuals since 2000, with 29.4% of the county population now considered low-income.

─ The loss of DHL, formerly the county’s largest employer, has had a major impact on Clinton County’s and the City of Wilmington’s annual revenue budgets.

─ WTS is approaching capacity, but local match constraints limit its ability to expand service.

─ WTS receives an annual appropriation and strong support from Wilmington City Council.

─ WTS passengers travel for a variety of trip purposes, but a significant share of the trips are for food shopping and medical appointments.

─ There is demand for inter-county trips including medical trips to Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton.

─ WTS has developed creative service strategies, such as high fare service to regional airports and intercity bus stations in order to enhance its revenues.




DARKE COUNTY

Overview

─ Darke County is located along the western edge of Ohio, bordering Indiana.

─ Greenville is the largest city in the county and the county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 40 miles southeast of Greenville.



─ Darke County's population has decreased only slightly since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Darke County has decreased by around 900 people, and youth now represent a smaller percentage of the population.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased over the past 12 years by around 1,000 people, now representing a greater percentage of the population.

─ The low-income population increased the most of all characteristics shown in Figure 1. Nearly a quarter of the county’s population is classified as low income, which is similar to the average Ohio county (24.8%). Zero-vehicle households also increased slightly from about 5% to 6% of the population from 2000 to 2012.




Youths (5-17) 10,443 (19.6%) 9,369 (17.9%) 9,530 (18.1%) 913 (1.5)

Older Adults (65+) 8,132 (15.3%) 8,236 (15.7%) 9,122 (17.3%) 990 (2.0)



Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 975 (4.8%) 840 (4.0%) 1,320 (6.3%) 345 (1.5) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 13% of the current population in Darke County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Darke County had 17,016 jobs within the county. In that same year, 17,846 residents of Darke County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 65.4% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Darke County is the city of Greenville (see Figure 2).

─ Areas surrounding Greenville shows moderate transit reliance.


─ Darke County is primarily a lower density county with higher density areas around the city of Greenville. Of the 52,700 people in the county, 33.7% live in higher density areas and 66.3% are in lower density areas (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Greenville is the only area with notable population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that deviated fixed route (orange on Figure 3) service may be more appropriate than standard fixed route (red on Figure 3) services. An exception to this finding is Greenville, which shows a mix.


─ Greenville Transit System (GTS) offers demand response service in city of Greenville. GTS will travel up to 5 miles from the Greenville city limits on weekdays if drivers are available. The service is open to the general public.

─ GTS operating characteristics:

Demand response service Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Demand response service Saturday, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Demand response service Sunday, 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

─ Fares are subsidized and funded in part by ODOT and FTA, with additional funding from the City of Greenville.




─ County financial support for transit ended in 2009, forcing the system to pull back to Greenville limits but charge non-subsidized fares for trips outside the city. Funding from the city of Greenville is a small percentage of the system’s total budget.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Darke County (52,715).




─ GTS is operating at or near capacity; lack of additional operating funds and limits on local match availability preclude the system from expanding.

─ GTS’s top unfulfilled service need is to add expand operating hours to enhance access to jobs and shopping.

─ There is some expressed demand for trips to the Dayton area, including the VA medical facility.

─ The GTS facility is new and provides GTS with an efficient operating base.




FAYETTE COUNTY

Overview

─ Fayette County is located in southwest Ohio.

─ Washington Court House is the largest city in the county and county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Columbus in Franklin County, which is located about 35 miles northeast of Washington Court House.



─ Fayette County's population has increased by less than 2% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Fayette County has decreased by slightly.

─ At the same time, the number of older adults has increased over the past 12 years, and the percentage of the population in this age category is now about 15%.

─ The low-income population increased by nearly 69% from 2000 to 2012, and now makes up about a third of the county’s population. The county's percentage of low-income population is higher than the average Ohio county (24.8%). The number of zero-vehicle households increased slightly from 2000 to 2012.




Youths (5-17) 5,302 (18.6%) 4,910 (17.4%) 5,214 (18.0%) 88 (0.6)

Older Adults (65+) 4,096 (14.4%) 4,107 (14.5%) 4,389 (15.2%) 293 (0.8)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 17% of the current population in Fayette County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Fayette County had 10,440 jobs within the county. In that same year, 7,089 residents of Fayette County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 63.1% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Fayette County are Washington Court House and Jeffersonville (see Figure 2).


─ Fayette County shows high density in Washington Court House, located in the center of the county. The remainder of the county is primarily low density. Of the roughly 28,900 people in the county, 52.2% live areas of higher density and 47.8% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Washington Court House and a small portion of Jeffersonville around Tanger Outlet are the only areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that a mix of deviated fixed-route service (orange on Figure 3) and standard fixed-route service (red on Figure 3) is most appropriate.

─ Areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are Greenfield and Jamestown, located just south and west of the county, respectively.


─ The Community Action Commission (CAC) of Fayette County provides demand response service throughout the county. Out-of-county trips are also available upon request. The service is open to the general public.

─ CAC of Fayette County operating characteristics:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Extended hours for work-related trips, Monday – Friday, 5:00 AM - 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM - 11:45 PM

Work-related trips offered all day Saturday and holidays

─ Local funding is provided through contracts with human services agencies.



1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Fayette County (28,944).





─ Fayette County is relatively low-income county, and dramatic increases occurred in this segment of the population since 2000, although most households have cars regardless of income.

─ Transit is just one of CAC’s many responsibilities, but they serve a diverse mix of riders, including young workers, older adults, and low-income individuals.

─ Limited funding is a challenge for CAC, particularly local matching funds.

─ Access to jobs is among the most critical needs of CAC riders.

─ CAC’s current facility is inadequate for its needs.

─ CAC has identified the potential for a fixed route-deviation system within Washington Court House, but funding constraints preclude the development of such a system at this time.

─ Many residents need to travel outside of the county in order to reach medical services.




GREENE COUNTY

Overview

─ Greene County is located in the southwestern part of Ohio.

─ Xenia is the largest city in the county and the county seat; Xenia is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 15 miles northwest of Xenia.



─ Greene County's population has increased by just over 10% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Greene County has decreased by about 1,000, more than a 2% difference in the percentage of the population.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by around the same percentage (2%) that youth have decreased over the past 12 years, and now make up a similar percentage of the population, around 14%.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000, making up 22% of the county population. Overall, the county is slightly better off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). While more households are without cars, the percentage of the total households in this category remained almost unchanged.




Youths (5-17) 26,642 (18.0%) 25,079 (16.3%) 25,639 (15.7%) 1,003 (2.3)

Older Adults (65+) 17,492 (11.8%) 18,839 (12.2%) 22,995 (14.1%) 5,503 (2.3)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 11% of the current population in Greene County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Greene County had 59,049 jobs within the county. In that same year, 42,234 residents of Greene County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 68.8% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Greene County are Xenia and Fairborn (see Figure 2).

─ Northwest of Xenia, Cedarville and its surrounding areas show moderate to high transit reliance.

─ Dayton and Huber Heights, to the west of the Greene County, show very high transit reliance.


─ Greene County has three primary areas of higher density: Xenia, located in the center of the county, and Beavercreek and Fairborn, both located near the western boundary of the county close to Dayton. There are small pockets of medium density communities scattered around the county, including Yellow Springs, Cedarville, and Jamestown. Of the roughly 162,800 people in the county, 85.1% live in areas of higher density and 14.9% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Xenia, Beavercreek, and Fairborn are the primary areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Many of the areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3) may be more appropriate than standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3). An exception to this finding is around Wright State University and Fairfield Mall, which shows a variable mix.

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are along the western boundary of Greene County, around Dayton and its surrounding areas.


─ Flex-route transit service is available through the Greene County Transit Board (Greene CATS) circulating and connecting the communities of Beavercreek, Fairborn, Xenia, and Yellow Springs. A flex express route that connects Xenia to downtown Dayton is also provided.

─ Greene CATS offers county-wide demand response service with limited service to Montgomery County. The service is open to the general public.

─ Greene CATS operating characteristics:

Five routes Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, with trips operating at a 90-minute frequency




Two trips on one route Monday – Friday, 8:50 PM – 12:00 AM, which connects all four communities (Beavercreek, Fairborn, Yellow Springs, and Xenia)

All flex routes deviate up to ¾ miles to pick up or drop off passengers

Demand response service Monday – Sunday, 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM

─ Greene CATS interfaces with the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (GDRTA) at GDRTA’s East Town and Wright Stop Plaza transit centers in addition to GDRTA’s route to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) and Wright State University.

─ Local funding is provided through contracts with agencies, including the county’s Board of Developmental Disabilities and Department of Job and Family Service.




─ Greene County is geographically diverse and dispersed, with most major residential and commercial development located along its western edge, adjacent to Montgomery County along the I-675 corridor, and in Fairborn (WPAFB/Wright State University area).

─ Xenia is relatively isolated as a transit-reliant area, surrounded by primarily rural areas.

─ Most new development consists of residential subdivisions with cul-de-sacs and strip retail centers set back from the street, which are difficult to serve by transit.

─ Local funding is only a small portion of Greene CATS’s total budget, its ability to expand service and handle increased capacity difficult.

─ Greene CATS’ operating base is insufficient for its needs and compromises cost effectiveness.

─ The large geographic size of Greene County requires lengthy and expensive trips on a cost per passenger basis.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Greene County (162,830).




HAMILTON COUNTY

Overview

─ Hamilton County is located in the southwestern corner of Ohio, bordering Kentucky to the south and Indiana to the west.

─ Cincinnati is the largest city in the county and the county seat; the city and its surrounding area form the Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The next nearest metropolitan area is Dayton, about 55 miles northeast of Cincinnati.



─ Hamilton County's population has decreased by nearly 44,000 people since 2000, a decrease of 5.2%.

─ Along with total population loss, the number of youth in Hamilton County has decreased by nearly 27,000, now representing a smaller percentage of the population.

─ While the number of older adults aged 65+ decreased over the past 12 years, the percentage of the population in this age category remained nearly constant at a little more than 13%.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000, though the increase is less extreme than other Ohio counties and more people are able to own cars. Overall, the county is somewhat worse off than an average Ohio county (24.8%).




Youths (5-17) 161,626 (19.1%) 151,195 (17.9%) 134,641 (16.8%) 26,985 (2.3)

Older Adults (65+) 113,898 (13.5%) 113,302 (13.4%) 107,723 (13.4%) 6,175 (0.0)



Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 46,805 (13.5%) 41,760 (12.6%) 39,463 (12.2%) 7,342 (1.3) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 12% of the current population in Hamilton County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Hamilton County had 486,895 jobs within the county. In that same year, 111,936 residents of Hamilton County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 31.5% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Hamilton County are Cincinnati and north of Cincinnati around Sharonville and Springdale (see Figure 2).

─ Areas east of I-75 around Reading and Norwood also show a moderate to high transit reliance.

─ Outside of the Hamilton County, the cities of Hamilton and Fairfield in Butler County, South Lebanon in Warren County, and Milford in Clermont County show moderate to high transit reliance.


─ Hamilton County shows significant density in the eastern half of the county, including Cincinnati and its surrounding areas. The county shows decreasing density levels westward. Of the 801,600 people in the county, 97.8% live in areas of higher density and 2.2% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ The eastern half of the county, including Cincinnati, Norwood, Springdale, and Montgomery, has areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3). Harrison is the only area with population and employment densities in west Hamilton County that could support transit.

─ These transit-supportive areas show demand for a mix of standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3) and deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3), though a majority of downtown Cincinnati shows support for standard fixed route services.

─ Similar to the results above, areas surrounding the county line in Butler, Warren, and Clermont counties have transit supportive densities.


─ Transit service (fixed-route and paratransit) is available through the Southwestern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) under the name Cincinnati Metro (Metro). SORTA’s service area covers a majority of Hamilton County and portions of Butler, Clermont, and Warren counties.

─ SORTA provides 21 park-and-ride lots consisting of approximately 2000 parking spaces. The park-and-ride lots are serviced through both local and express routes. Most lots are privately owned and contracted by SORTA for park-and-ride use.

─ SORTA operating characteristics:

Monday – Friday, 4:00 AM – 2:00 AM; Saturday, 4:30 AM – 2:00 AM; and Sunday 5:00 AM – 1:30 AM




Forty-six fixed-routes, including 20 express routes operating on Monday – Friday, 5:30 AM – 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, and 1 limited-stop route known as Metro*Plus, Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Twenty-two fixed-routes operate on Saturday; two fewer on Sunday

During peak hours, 35 routes run with a frequency of 30 minutes or less on weekdays, and 15 of those routes maintain their frequency during the midday

Eight additional routes called XTRA for secondary school students in Cincinnati to travel to school on Metro buses, two one-way trips per day, Monday – Friday, academic year only

Complementary ADA paratransit service within ¾-mile and during the same operating times of their fixed-routes (non-express)

─ I-71 express trips are eligible to operate within a Bus on Shoulder segment between Kenwood and Kings Island.

─ Local funding is provided through 3/10th of 1% of the earnings tax from the City of Cincinnati and contributions from outlying counties for commuter express routes serving those counties. Additional money comes from contracts with Cincinnati Public Schools and the University of Cincinnati.

─ SORTA has U-Pass programs with the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati State College.

─ Construction is underway on the Cincinnati Streetcar line in the downtown core. Scheduled to open in 2016, the Streetcar line is owned by the City of Cincinnati but will be operated by SORTA. The City and SORTA have entered into a cooperative agreement to facilitate the line’s development, funding, and operations.




─ SORTA’s funding base is restricted to the City of Cincinnati. Although there is a substantial amount of service operated by Metro outside city limits, it is the result of service that was either grandfathered in when the city took over the formerly privately held system in 1972, or funded by other entities (as is the case with express routes from Butler, Clermont, and Warren counties).

─ The City Transit Fund (derived from the earnings tax) has been relatively stagnant and cannot provide enough local match to maintain the fleet within useful life parameters. To maintain service levels, SORTA has resorted to using federal funds for capitalized maintenance, further reducing the amount of funding available for fleet replacements and upgrades.

─ Although there have been occasional discussions, there is no current initiative to seek a countywide funding base. The last attempt at a Hamilton County-wide sales tax for transit was soundly defeated in 2002.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Hamilton County (801,587).




─ Within Hamilton County, the availability of service to suburban communities is largely based on the extent of development at the time of the City takeover of the private system in 1972. As a result, major job centers and corridors, such as Reed Hartman Road in Blue Ash, have no service.

─ Downtown Cincinnati, along with northern Kentucky, is also served by the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK). TANK service does not extend north of downtown Cincinnati or anywhere else in Hamilton County. TANK provides a route that connects downtown Cincinnati (and the Metro system) with the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.

─ Regional fares are a patchwork of rates and media, but SORTA has been working with TANK, BCRTA, CTC, and WTC on regional fare instruments and other cooperative ventures.

─ SORTA is implementing recommendations from a comprehensive operational Analysis to provide more crosstown connections and reallocate service from low ridership routes and trips to areas with higher demand.

─ Despite funding limitations, SORTA has been able to institute a “pre-BRT” service called Metro Plus in the Montgomery Road corridor, thereby raising Metro’s profile in the community.




MERCER COUNTY

Overview

─ Mercer County is located along the central western edge of Ohio bordering Indiana.

─ Celina is the largest city in the county and is the county seat.

─ The nearest urbanized area is Lima, 37 miles east of Celina, and Fort Wayne, IN, 50 miles to the northwest.



─ Mercer County's population has remained fairly stable, with a slight decrease of just over 100 people (0.3%) since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Mercer County has declined significantly, by 3.3%.

─ The number of older adults increased only slightly, and older adults now represent 15.7% of the population, a small increase of 1.2%.

─ The percentage of low-income households in Mercer County (16.8%) is much lower than the average in Ohio’s counties as a whole (24.8%), and although this rose by 4.4%, this increase is small compared to other counties in Ohio. Zero-vehicle households also increased slightly.




Youths (5-17) 9,141 (22.3%) 8,063 (19.7%) 7,786 (19.1%) 1,355 (3.3)

Older Adults (65+) 5,936 (14.5%) 5,926 (14.5%) 6,405 (15.7%) 469 (1.2)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 11% of the current population in Mercer County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Mercer County had 17,086 jobs within the county. In that same year, 10,448 residents of Jefferson County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 51.5% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area with the highest transit reliance within Mercer County is Celina, exhibiting moderate-high reliance (see Figure 2).

─ Others areas showing moderate transit reliance include Montezuma south of Grand Lake St. Mary’s.

─ Across the county line into Auglaize County at the other end of Grand Lake, the city of St. Mary’s exhibits moderate transit reliance.


─ Mercer County is primarily a low-density county with small pockets of higher density around Celina, St. Henry, and Coldwater. Of the 40,800 people in the county, 38.6% live in areas of higher density and 61.4% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Celina, Rockford, Coldwater, St. Henry, and Fort Recovery are the only areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggests an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Density pockets in Rockford and Fort Recovery are very small, making them unlikely candidates for service with fixed routes.

─ Densities in areas like Rockford, Coldwater, and Fort Recovery suggest that deviated-fixed-route (orange on Figure 3) service may be more appropriate than standard fixed-route (red on Figure 3) services. Celina and St. Henry may support a mix of fixed route and deviated fixed-route service.

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are east of Celina in St. Mary’s in Auglaize County.


─ Transit service is not provided in Mercer County.



1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Mercer County (40,818).





─ Mercer County’s older adult and low-income household populations continue to grow. Although Mercer County has a smaller share of low-income individuals than the average Ohio county, the past 12 years reveal a significant increase in low-income families.

─ Mercer County is primarily rural. There are only a handful of areas with significant concentrations of people or jobs. These areas are primarily located in the southwest portion of the county.

─ Some socio-economic characteristics suggest a need for public transportation in Mercer County, but the development patterns mean that it would be difficult to operate cost effective transit service. Similarly positioned counties in Ohio have chosen to operate demand response service for people living in rural areas.

─ Mercer County lies on the state line, thus residents may look to areas in Indiana, such as Fort Wayne, for services.

─ Auglaize County, east of Mercer County, also does not provide transit services; however, densities and transit needs exhibited suggest potential for services connecting St. Mary’s in Auglaize County and Celina in Mercer County.




Figure 2 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics Affecting the Reliance on Transit Service





MIAMI COUNTY

Overview

─ Miami County is located in west-southwest Ohio.

─ Troy is the largest city in the county and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 20 miles south of Troy.



─ Miami County's population has increased by about 4% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Miami County has decreased by more than 1,000, a nearly 2% difference in the percentage of the population.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by 23.8% over the past 12 years. About 16% of the county’s total population is in this age category.

─ Low-income individuals increased from 13% in 2000 to 23% in 2012. Overall, the county remains slightly better off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). About 100 more households no longer have access to a vehicle, but the percentage of the population without a vehicle has dropped back to around 5% after increasing in 2007.




Youths (5-17) 19,313 (19.5%) 18,087 (17.9%) 18,276 (17.8%) 1,037 (1.8)

Older Adults (65+) 13,096 (13.2%) 14,568 (14.4%) 16,212 (15.8%) 3,116 (2.5)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 12% of the current population in Miami County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Miami County had 39,195 jobs within the county. In that same year, 27,484 residents of Miami County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 59.0% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Miami County is Troy (see Figure 2).

─ The surrounding areas of Troy also show a moderate to high transit reliance, including Piqua, Tipp City, and West Milton.

─ Many areas just south of the Miami county line, located in close proximity to Dayton, show a high to very high transit reliance, including Huber Heights, Vandalia, Clayton, and Englewood.


─ Miami County shows high density areas along I-75 in Piqua, Troy, and Tipp City. The remainder of the county is low density. Of the roughly 102,800 people in the county, 69.2% live in areas of higher density and 30.8% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Troy, Piqua, and Tipp City are the areas with notable population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ These three major areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest a mix of deviated fixed route (orange on Figure 3) service and standard fixed route (red on Figure 3) service may be appropriate. Additionally, few small areas within the county, including West Milton, Covington, and Pleasant Hill, show a demand for a deviated fixed route service.

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are along the southern edge of the county boundary around Huber Heights, Vandalia, and Englewood.


─ Miami County Public Transit (MCPT) offers countywide demand response service for the general public. The service includes trips to two Greater Dayton RTA bus stops and two miles past the county line to Vandalia or Huber Heights in Montgomery County.

─ MCPT operating characteristics:


Saturdays, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

─ Local funding comes from contributions from the county and contracts with human services agencies.







─ Older adults make up an increasing share of the county population, and comprise a growing share of MCPT’s ridership.

─ Although there are several areas with higher than average rates of poverty, Miami County’s location near the Dayton area and within the I-75 corridor have helped position Tipp City and adjacent areas as a shopping and service hub for counties to the north, suggesting that there may be demand for inter-county services along I-75.

─ Local/county financial support is only a small portion of the system’s overall budget.

─ MCPT’s relatively high fare ($4) may impact the ability of some households to afford its service.

─ MCPT would like to add service hours in order to better serve second-shift workers, but limited funding makes this difficult.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Miami County (102,777).




MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Overview

─ Montgomery County is located in the southwestern part of Ohio.

─ Dayton is the largest city in the county and the county seat; Dayton and its immediate surroundings form the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

─ The next nearest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, which is located about 55 miles south of Dayton.



─ Montgomery County's population has decreased by 4.3% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Montgomery County has decreased by over 12,300 people, or over 12%, since 2000, and now makes up a smaller percentage of the population.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by more than 6,200 over the past 12 years, and now represents a larger percentage of the population by nearly 2%.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000, and the county is less well-off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). While zero-vehicle households decreased by almost 200, 10% of total households remain without cars.




Youths (5-17) 100,925 (18.1%) 93,757 (17.3%) 88,603 (16.6%) 12,322 (1.5)

Older Adults (65+) 76,697 (13.7%) 78,289 (14.5%) 82,953 (15.5%) 6,256 (1.8)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 15% of the current population in Montgomery County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Montgomery County had 236,910 jobs within the county. In that same year, 80,493 residents of Montgomery County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 54.7% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the areas most reliant on transit within Montgomery County are Dayton and its immediate surrounding areas (see Figure 2).

─ Springboro and West Alexandria, located immediately south and west of the Montgomery County line, respectively, are areas of high to very high transit reliance outside of the county.


─ Montgomery County shows significant density in the eastern half of the county around the city of Dayton and its surrounding areas, including Huber Heights, Kettering, and Riverside. The western half of the county is primarily low density. Of the roughly 535,100 people in the county, 95.7% live in areas of higher density and 4.3% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ The eastern half of the county around Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside, and Kettering have areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ The downtown core area of Dayton shows demand for standard fixed-route transit services, but many areas beyond this show demand for a mix of standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3) and deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3).

─ Areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are heavily focused around Fairborn to its east, Middletown and Springboro to its south, and Tipp City to its north.


─ Transit service (fixed-route and paratransit) is available through the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (GDRTA) with services that cover most of Montgomery County as well as Wright Patterson Air Force Base and Wright State University in Greene County.

─ GDRTA operating characteristics:

Monday – Friday, 4:30 AM – 1:30 AM; Saturday 5:00 AM – 1:30 AM; and Sunday, 5:00 AM – 1:30 AM

Twenty-eight fixed-routes that include 9 local routes within the city of Dayton, 7 radial routes providing service between downtown and suburban areas, 4 cross-town routes, 3 rural routes, 3 express routes, and 2 neighborhood circulators

Twenty fixed-routes operate on Saturday and Sunday




Ten routes run with a frequency of 30 minutes or less during peak hours and 19 routes operate after 7:00 PM on weekdays

Two EZ Ride fixed-route services for seniors on weekdays, operating between senior apartment complexes and nearby shopping centers

Four limited-stop routes providing transportation service to public schools within Montgomery County, Monday - Friday during the academic year

Operates electric trolley buses on seven of the local routes in the city of Dayton

Complementary ADA paratransit service known as Project Mobility within ¾-mile and during the same operating times of their fixed-routes

─ Local funding is largely provided through ½-cent sales tax in Montgomery County.




─ The west side of Dayton is heavily transit reliant but has seen little development of jobs and activities in recent years.

─ Most new development has been along the I-75 corridor north and south of the city, and the I-675 corridor along the eastern edge of the county.

─ GDRTA’s transit center and crosstown network provides a measure of direct service from residential areas to employment sites.

─ There has been resistance from some communities in Greene County along the Montgomery-Greene county line of expanded GDRTA service to access employment and activity centers.

─ GDRTA’s trolleybus fleet is in dire need of replacement. GDRTA’s planned purchase of dual mode vehicles will maintain its investment in energy efficient catenary operation while enhancing the flexibility of service design.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Montgomery County (535,057).




PREBLE COUNTY

Overview

─ Preble County is located along the western edge of Ohio bordering Indiana.

─ Eaton is the largest city in the county and is the county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 25 miles east of Eaton.



─ Preble County's population has decreased by about 300 (< 1%) people since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Preble County has decreased by 700, and the percentage of the population in this category dropped from 19.7% in 2000 to 18.2% in 2012.

─ The number of adults aged 65+ increased by nearly 1,000 over the past 12 years, making up 15.6% of the total population today. This is 2.5% higher than in 2000.

─ Low-income individuals increased by 68% and now make up a greater percentage of the county population by more than 9 percentage points. However, the county has a slightly smaller percentage of low-income individuals than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). Zero-car households declined, and a greater percentage of the population is able to own cars today than in 2000.




Youths (5-17) 8,345 (19.7%) 7,340 (17.5%) 7,644 (18.2%) 701 (1.5)

Older Adults (65+) 5,573 (13.2%) 6,018 (14.4%) 6,566 (15.6%) 993 (2.5)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 15% of the current population in Preble County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Preble County had 9,664 jobs within the county. In that same year, 10,806 residents of Preble County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 68.3% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Preble County is West Alexandria located to the east of Eaton (see Figure 2).

─ Others areas showing a moderate to high transit need include the southeast corner of the county, Eaton, and select areas south of Eaton.

─ Oxford and Middletown, both located in Butler County to the south of Preble County, show areas with a moderate to high transit reliance.


─ Preble County is primarily a lower density county with a small pocket of urbanization around the city of Eaton. Of the 42,000 people in the county, 30.8% live in areas of higher density and 69.2% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Eaton is the only area with notable population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3). The villages of Lewisburg, New Paris, and Camden have small pockets of higher population and employment densities.

─ Areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that deviated-fixed-route (orange on Figure 3) service may be more appropriate than standard fixed-route (red on Figure 3) services.

─ Areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are around Oxford and Middletown in Butler County, and Brookville and Germantown in Montgomery County.


─ Transit service is not provided in Preble County.




─ Preble County has a smaller percentage of low-income individuals than an average county in Ohio but still faces rising poverty. Twenty-two percent of the population has low-incomes.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Preble County (42,029).




─ In addition to having higher poverty levels, Preble County is primarily low density. The city of Eaton and some areas within the villages of Lewisburg, New Paris, and Camden are the only areas with notable concentrations of people or jobs. These areas are scattered throughout the county.

─ The socio-economic characteristics in Preble County suggest a need for public transportation in some parts of the county, but the development patterns mean that it would be difficult to operate cost effective transit service. Currently, no transit services are available in the county. However, similarly-positioned counties in Ohio operate demand response service for people living in rural areas.

─ Given that nearly 70% of residents leave Preble County for work, combined with a high percentage of low-income households, there may be need for employment transportation.

─ Richmond, Indiana is located about 15 miles west of Eaton, Dayton is located about 25 miles east of Eaton, and Cincinnati lies about 60 miles to the south. It is likely that Preble County residents rely upon these three urbanized areas for jobs, services, and shopping.




SHELBY COUNTY

Overview

─ Shelby County is located in western Ohio.

─ Sidney is the largest city in the county and is the county seat.

─ The nearest metropolitan area is Dayton in Montgomery County, which is located about 40 miles south of Sidney.



─ Shelby County's population has increased by 2.8% since 2000.

─ The number of youth in Shelby County has remained the same, but with the total population increase, youths now represent a smaller percentage of the population.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ increased by nearly 700 people, and this group now represents a larger percentage of the population by 1%.

─ A greater percentage of people have low-incomes today than in 2000, though slightly more people own cars. Despite an increase of over 81% in the low-income population, the county is still somewhat better off than an average county in Ohio (24.8%).




Youths (5-17) 10,047 (21.0%) 9,493 (19.5%) 10,051 (20.4%) 4 (0.6)

Older Adults (65+) 5,849 (12.2%) 6,009 (12.4%) 6,541 (13.3%) 692 (1.1)



Zero-Vehicle Households‡ 765 (4.3%) 1,006 (5.4%) 746 (4.0%) 19 (0.3) Sources: 2000 Census, SF1 100% data & SF3 sample data; 2007 ACS 3-year estimates; 2012 ACS 3-year estimates *2007 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2000 Census 100% data whereas 2012 ACS estimates are weighted based on 2010 Census 100% data. The Census asks users to use caution when making comparisons across a decennial census year and warns that the estimates may not be strictly comparable. ^The disability questions asked on the 2000 Census and ACS forms through 2007 were substantially different from the questions asked on the 2008 ACS form and later (including the 2010 Census). Therefore, one cannot say with certainty what changes occurred to the prevalence of disabilities between 2000 and 2012. †Defined as all family members if the family income is less than 1.5 times the poverty threshold set by the federal government. ‡Note that the data reported here are households and the percentage = (zero-vehicle households)/(total households in the county).




─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 11% of the current population in Shelby County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Shelby County had 24,982 jobs within the county. In that same year, 11,185 residents of Shelby County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 50.6% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit within Shelby County is Sidney (see Figure 2).

─ Areas immediately north of Sidney and Jackson Center, located in the northeastern corner of the county, show moderate transit reliance.

─ Piqua, located about 5 miles south of the Shelby County line, shows moderate to high transit reliance.


─ Shelby County is mostly a low density county with higher density areas within the city of Sidney. Of the roughly 49,300 people in the county, 48.9% live in areas of higher density and 51.1% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Sidney, Anna, Jackson Center, and Botkins are the only areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ Many of the areas that indicate a demand for transit service suggest that deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3) may be more appropriate than standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3).

─ Areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county are around Piqua and Minster.


─ Shelby Public Transit (SPT) offers demand response service throughout Shelby County. SPT service is open to the general public.

─ SPT operating characteristics:

Service within a 3-mile radius of Sidney city limit, Monday – Friday, 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM

Service throughout the remainder of the county, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The system offers same-day service within City of Sidney, whereas the county service requires reservation at least 24-hours in advance.

─ Local funding is provided by the City of Sidney and the Shelby County Commissioners. Additional resources come from contracts with multiple human services agencies.


1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Shelby County (49,268).






─ With the number of low-income individuals rising and many Shelby residents traveling outside of the county for work, there is an increased need for transit service, yet low density development patterns make it difficult to provide cost-effective service.

─ Despite funding from both Shelby County and the City of Sidney, service has remained static for several years while increases in demand bring the system close to capacity.

─ Local match is a challenge for SPT, stymieing desires to extend service hours at night and add vehicles.

─ There are limited commercial, employment, and medical opportunities within Shelby County. Demand for trips to Piqua and Tipp City in Miami County to the south has grown.




WARREN COUNTY

Overview

─ Warren County is located in southwest Ohio.

─ Mason and Lebanon are the two largest cities; Lebanon is the county seat and is part of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area.

─ The nearest metropolitan areas are Dayton and Cincinnati, which are located 20 miles north and 20 miles southwest of the county line.



─ Warren County's population has increased by nearly 57,000 people (36%) since 2000.

─ Unlike most counties in Ohio, the number of youth in Warren County has increased in the past 12 years. With an increase of nearly 13,000, or 40%, only Delaware County outpaced Warren County in growing numbers of youth.

─ The number of older adults aged 65+ also increased over the past 12 years, and the percentage of the population in this age category increased by nearly two full percentage points.

─ Low-income individuals grew by 3 percentage points since 2000, but the percentage of low-income individuals is much lower than an average county in Ohio (24.8%). More people own cars today than 2000.




Youths (5-17) 31,549 (19.9%) 39,072 (19.6%) 44,190 (20.5%) 12,641 (0.6)

Older Adults (65+) 14,858 (9.4%) 19,122 (9.6%) 24,217 (11.2%) 9,359 (1.9)







─ It is impossible to conclude with certainty the historical trend of the prevalence of people with disabilities. However, accounting for sampling error and considering results from 2000 and 2007, in all likelihood at least 9% of the current population in Warren County has some disability.

─ According to 2011 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) data, Warren County had 75,715 jobs within the county. In that same year, 70,099 residents of Warren County were employed outside of the county, which accounts for 74.4% of residents who are employed.

─ Based on a combined measure of low-income individuals, zero-vehicle households, persons with disabilities, and adults aged 65 and over, the area most reliant on transit is Warren County is Springboro (see Figure 2).

─ Other areas showing a moderate to high transit reliance are South Lebanon, Maineville, and the Warren County portion of Middletown.

─ The remaining areas of Middletown in Butler County along with several areas leading to Dayton and Cincinnati show high to very high transit reliance.


─ Warren County has higher density areas around the city of Lebanon, as well as in the northwestern and southwestern corners of the county around Franklin/Springboro and Mason. The eastern half of the county is largely low density, except a small medium density area around Waynesville. Of the roughly 69,000 people in the county, 82.7% live in areas of higher density and 17.3% are in areas of lower density (based on 2010 Census block data).

─ Mason, Lebanon, Springboro, and Franklin are the areas with population and employment densities that, based on national evidence, suggest an ability to support transit service with a frequency of every 60 minutes or less (see Figure 3).

─ These transit supportive areas suggest a demand for a mix of standard fixed route services (red on Figure 3) and deviated fixed route service (orange on Figure 3).

─ Similar to the results above, areas with transit supportive densities outside of the county surround the western half of the county’s boundary, including Middletown and cities leading to Dayton and Cincinnati.


─ Warren County Transit Service (WCTS) offers demand response service throughout the county. WCTS also provides limited services to Dayton (Montgomery County), Middletown (Butler County), and Cincinnati (Hamilton County). The service is open to the general public.

─ WCTS operating characteristics:


Three stop points in Middletown are Middletown Shopping Center, Miami University, and the former Middletown Hospital area.

Connect at Kings Island to Cincinnati Metro in Hamilton County.

Connect at the South Transit Center in Montgomery County with GDRTA




─ Local funding is provided through county general funds and contracts with human services agencies; however, there is no dedicated source of local funding for transit




─ WCTC is currently transitioning from a demand response to a more fixed route system due to the designation of Warren County as urbanized from the 2010 census. Limited staff resources and experience make this a challenging transition. SORTA and ODOT have provided financial and technical assistance for FY2014; but these federal funds are not consistent or a stable source of funding for planning future budgets and service needs.

─ Needs vary greatly between the suburbanized portions of the county (southern and western) and the rural portions (northern and eastern).

─ Limited local/county financial support has constrained service coverage and fleet replacement.

─ The southwestern portion of Warren County is heavily oriented to Hamilton County. Current express service provides connections to downtown Cincinnati only. There is very limited reverse commute service from Cincinnati to employment sites in the southwestern portion of the county.

─ Except for connection to the Middletown Transit System, there are no connections to the employment corridor along I-75 in adjacent Butler County.

1 Based on 2012 ACS estimates for Warren County (215,286).


market analysis: cincinnati/dayton region · the market analysis was conducted at a county level as...

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