Transportation must adapt to an aging population and a changing climate

Albert Einstein may have been the most famous person to say, “In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.”  If that is the case, then communities today are awash in opportunity. Faced with the twin challenges of climate change and a rapidly aging population, state and local leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to deliver transportation and mobility solutions that work better for everyone.

Significant population changes are underway in the U.S., which amplify the climate-related risks many will face. Older adults are the fastest growing demographic in the nation. By 2034, people over 65 will outnumber children under 18 for the first time ever.  A century ago, 1 in 20 people was over 65 years of age; soon that number will be 1 in 5.