Downtown Denver Commuter Survey 2013

Downtown Denver Commuter Survey 2013

With support from

Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc.

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT 511 16th Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202 • 303-534-6161 • www.DowntownDenver.com

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Two key objectives of the 2007 Downtown Area Plan are to reinforce Downtown Denver’s role as the Rocky Mountain region’s transportation hub and to expand and improve Downtown Denver’s transportation amenities. To this end, the Downtown Denver Partnership surveys employees working in Downtown Denver each fall to examine the commuting trends and habits of Downtown commuters.

This year, the Partnership received a record 4,485 valid responses to the 2013 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey. Transit and driving alone are the two most commonly used ways Downtown Denver commuters travel to work. When asked how they commuted to work on the day of the survey, 46% reported using transit, 38% drove alone, 5% carpooled, 5% biked, 4% walked and smaller numbers teleworked, vanpooled, or used a motorcycle, scooter or moped.

Survey respondents have an average one-way commute of 14 miles and a majority (54%) work in the Commercial Core neighborhood of Downtown Denver. Commuters traveling to Downtown Denver use transit more and drive alone less than the average American commuter. Almost 60% of Downtown Denver commuters reported receiving a fully or partially subsidized transit pass from their employers, which is the most highly valued benefit by Downtown Denver employees. The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey results also revealed the following key differences between groups of commuters: 



 





Employer-provided transportation benefits, such as providing a parking spot or transit pass, have a significant effect on employees’ commuting habits. Employees who receive a parking benefit are more likely to drive to work and less likely to use transit than the commuting population as a whole.

Commuting habits change with employee age. Younger commuters have shorter commutes and are more likely to walk and bike to work. Transit use increases with age and driving alone peaks when commuters are in their 30s.

Males and females have different commuting habits. Male commuters are significantly more likely to bike to work, more likely to walk to work, and less likely to drive alone than female commuters.

Office location affects employees’ commuting choices. For example, those who work in the Cultural Core neighborhood are more likely to bike to work, while those who work in the Auraria neighborhood are less likely to bike to work (see page 13 for a map of Downtown Denver neighborhoods).

Commute length has a strong effect on the way commuters choose to travel to work. Unsurprising, those with the shortest commutes are more likely to walk or bike to work. Commuters who drive alone have a shorter commute than those who use transit, and commuters who vanpool have the longest commutes.

Weekend workers have dramatically different commuting patterns than weekday workers. Weekend workers are much more likely to walk, bike or drive alone and less likely to use transit.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary………………………………………………………………… 1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………. 2 How Downtown Denver commuters travel to work…………………….……… 3 How Downtown Denver commuters compare to other commuters….……… 4 Use of alternative modes………………………………………………………… 4 Characteristics of survey respondents……………………….………………… 5 Access to employer-provided transportation benefits………………………… 6 In-depth Analysis……………………………………………………….…….…… 6 Impact of employer-provided transportation benefits……..……...…………… 7 Impact of Age and the Millennial generation…………….……..……………… 8 Impact of Gender………………………………………………....…….………… 9 Impact of Office location…………………………...…………………..………… 10 Impact of Commute length……………………………………..…………...…… 11 Weekend vs. weekday commutes……………………….……………………… 11 2012 vs. 2013 survey results……………………………………………………. 12 Conclusion…………………………………………………………..……………… 12 Appendix A……………………………………………………..…………………… 13 Methodology…………………..…………………………..…………………...….. 13 Conditions………………………..………………………………………….…….. 13 Limitations………………………..……………………………………….……….. 14 INTRODUCTION Each fall, the Downtown Denver Partnership (the Partnership) surveys employees working in Downtown Denver to examine the commuting trends and habits of Downtown commuters. The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey measures a sample of the Downtown Denver employee population to analyze commuting patterns, explore the attractiveness of transportation benefits and determine how commuters currently travel to their Downtown offices. Understanding the commuting preferences, options and trends of Downtown employees plays a critical role in the management and planning of Downtown Denver.

In September and October 2013, the Partnership received 4,729 completed commuter surveys. Partnership researchers determined that 4,485 surveys met the criteria for a valid response. While the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey aims to be as objective, reliable and valid as possible, it is important to note that it is not a scientific survey. For a detailed description of Survey methodology, conditions during the time of the survey and survey limitations, please see Appendix A. 2

How Downtown Denver commuters travel to work The 2013 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey (the Survey) measures the mode commuters use to travel Downtown in three ways: how the respondent traveled to work the day they completed the survey, how the respondent travels to work most days, and how the respondent traveled to work every day in the previous week.

In each measure, transit and driving alone were the most commonly used modes.

Mode* split of downtown commuters Mode Today Most days Average all days Used transit 44.6% 48.3% 36.9% Drove alone 38.2% 34.8% 40.6% Carpooled 5.4% 5.3% 5.5% Bicycled 4.6% 5.8% 6.0% Walked 3.7% 3.9% 5.5% Moped/scooter/motorcycle 1.5% 1.3% 1.9% Teleworked 1.5% 0.2% 3.2% Vanpooled 0.5% 0.5% 0.3% n (sample size) 4464 4481 varies note: does not include “did not work today” or blank responses *the transportation method used by a commuter

Average M-F 44.4% 37.0% 5.5% 5.3% 3.7% 1.5% 2.2% 0.4% varies

While each measure has its strengths and weaknesses and communicates different information about individuals’ commuting habits, the Partnership research team primarily uses the measurement of how the respondent traveled to work today for survey analysis. The research team feels this measure most accurately reflects commuting habits because it has a lower potential for self-report bias than asking commuters how they typically travel to work. Visit www.downtowndenver.com for full results of each mode measure.

Mode used on day of survey n=4464

Used transit

44.6%

Drove alone

38.2%

Carpooled

5.4%

Bicycled Walked

4.6% 3.7%

Moped/scooter/motorcycle

1.5%

Teleworked

1.5%

Vanpooled

0.5% 3

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How Downtown Denver commuters compare to other commuters Commuters who work in Downtown Denver have different commuting habits than the population as a whole.

Downtown Denver commuters reported significantly higher transit and biking use than those in the Cty of Denver, the Metro Area and the United States as a whole. Individuals who commute to Downtown Denver are nine times as likely to use transit, seven times as likely to bike and half as likely to drive to work as the average U.S. commuter. When comparing Downtown Denver commuting habits to City of Denver or Metro Area commuting habits, it is important to note that the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey measures commuting habits of individuals working in Downtown Denver, while Census data for other geographic areas measures the commuting habits of those living in a geographic area.

Geographic mode split comparison Sources: 2013 Downtown Commuter Survey and 2012 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Downtown Denver

City of Denver

Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metro Area

United States

44.6% Used transit

7.2% 4.4% 5.0% 38.2% 68.6%

Drove alone

Carpooled

75.6% 76.3% 5.4% 8.7% 9.1% 9.7%

Bicycled

4.6% 2.9% 1.1% 0.6%

Walked

3.7% 5.0% 2.4% 2.8%

Downtown Denver commuters are nine times as likely to use transit as the average U.S. commuter

Use of alternative modes of transportation Results of the Survey highlight the strong use of alternative modes by Downtown Denver employees, with only 38.2% of commuters driving alone to work. While these single-occupancy vehicles are certainly a significant portion of the Downtown Denver commuting population, the majority of commuters use modes other than driving alone. The 2007 Downtown Area Plan places a large focus on improving the transportation options to, from and within Downtown Denver to lessen the environmental and economic impacts of vehicular congestion.

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Characteristics of survey respondents The average one-way commute for survey respondents was 13.95 miles, with 25% having a commute of 5 miles or less. Respondents commute to Downtown Denver from 157 different home zip codes. The top ten home zip codes of survey respondents were: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

80211 (Highland) 80203 (Capitol Hill/Uptown) 80209 (Wash Park/Cherry Creek) 80205 (Five Points/Whittier/Cole/Clayton) 80210 (Wash Park/DU)

6. 80202 (Downtown Denver) 7. 80206 (Cherry Creek/City Park) 8. 80015 (Aurora) 9. 80127 (Littleton) 10. 80220 (Montclair)

The majority of survey respondents work in the Commercial Core neighborhood, with the Central Platte Valley (CPV) Commons and Cultural Core neighborhoods also having significant representation. See page 13 for a map of Downtown Denver neighborhoods. Over 50% of survey respondents are between 30 and 50 years of age and 56% are female.

The Partnership compares the demographics of survey respondents to Census data to determine how closely survey respondents match the actual characteristics of the Downtown Denver employee population. While the age and industry of Survey respondents roughly match the age and industry of Downtown Denver employees, gender breakdown is significantly different between the two groups. 56% of Survey respondents are female, while 47% of all Downtown Denver employees are female.

For further discussion about this gender discrepancy, see the limitations section on page 14.

Gender of survey respondents vs.

Downtown Denver employee population Female 60% 50%

Neighborhood

0.0%

Auraria

7.1%

Ballpark

0.0%

Commercial Core

53.8%

CPV Commons

14.4%

CPV Prospect

0.0%

Cultural Core

12.9%

Golden Triangle

2.8%

LoDo

9.0%

Age of survey respondents 2.5%

60 to 64

53% 47%

Percent

Arapahoe Square

65 or old er

Male

56% 44%

Office location of survey respondents, n=4481

6.2%

55 to 59

10.8%

50 to 54

11.7%

45 to 49

40%

12.0%

40 to 44

30% 20%

35 to 39

13.7%

30 to 34

14.5%

10%

25 to 29

0%

Under 25

Survey Respondents

All Downtown Employees

12.6%

12.3% 3.8% 0%

5%

10%

15%

5

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Access to and value of employer-provided transportation benefits Employers often provide transportation benefits and services to employees. In the 2013 Commuter Survey, the Partnership asked employees which of the common transportation benefits they choose to receive from their employer, as well as which benefits their employer offers, because sometimes employees are able to choose which benefits they want to receive from their employer. The most commonly offered and utilized benefit is a transit pass. Almost 60% of Downtown Denver commuters receive a fully or partially subsidized transit pass from their employers, while 25% receive a fully or partially subsidized parking space.

Access to employer-provided transportation benefits E mployee RECEIVES from employer

Employer PAYS FOR/OFFERS 59%

Transit Pass 25%

Parking Space

36%

10%

Secure Bicycle Parking 3%

B-cycle Membership and/or Usage Fees

77%

41%

10%

1% 4%

Carshare Membership and/or Usage Fees 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

The survey also asks respondents which employer-provided transportation benefits they value the most. Of the eight most common benefits measured, employees value four benefits highly and four benefits less highly. Sixty to seventy percent of respondents rated the benefits in the highly-valued group as very valuable, while only twenty-five or fewer percent of respondents rated benefits in the less-valuable group as very valuable.

Value of employer-provided transportation benefits Very Valuable

Somewhat Valuable

Valuable

Not Valuable or of Interest

Transit Pass Highly valued benefits

Flexible Work Hours Telework Options Parking Space Secure Bicycle Parking

B-cycle Membership & Usage Fees Preferred Parking for Carpools or Vanpools Carshare Membership & Usage Fees 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% 6

IMPACT OF EMPLOYER-PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS Downtown Denver employers often provide their employees with transportation-related benefits such as parking, bike storage or a transit pass. Results of the Survey show that employees are more likely to use a certain transportation mode for their commute if their employer provides a related benefit. 

If employees receive a subsidized transit pass from their employer, they are almost 6 times more likely to use transit than employees who do not receive a transit pass from their employer.  If employees receive a subsidized transit pass from their employer, they are 73% less likely to drive alone than employees who do not receive a transit pass from their employer.

Impact of employer-provided transit pass 100% 80%

Used transit

68%

67%

60% 40% 20%

18%

12%

0% Commuters who receive transit pass from employer

Commuters who DO NOT receive transit pass from employer

Impact of employer-provided parking space



If employees receive subsidized parking from their employer, they are 220% more likely to drive alone to work than employees who do not receive a parking space from their employer.  If employees receive subsidized parking from their employer, they are 87% less likely to use transit to commute to work than employees who do not receive a parking space from their employer.

Drove alone

Drove alone

100% 80%

Used transit

79% 57%

60% 40% 20%

25% 7%

0% Commuters who receive parking space from employer

Commuters who DO NOT receive parking space from employer

The transit-related benefits an employee receives from their employer also has an effect on how that individual travels to Downtown Denver outside of their normal commute. Individuals who receive a transit pass from their employer are almost 40% more likely to use transit and slightly less likely to drive when traveling to Downtown Denver outside of their regular commute. Individuals who receive a parking space from their employer are almost 20% more likely to drive and over 50% less likely to take transit when traveling to Downtown Denver outside of their regular commute.

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IMPACT OF AGE Commuter age has a strong effect on mode choice. Biking and walking, the most active transportation modes, decrease with age. Driving alone peaks when commuters are in their 30s and declines as commuters get older.

Transit use increases with age.

Impact of age on commuting habits Bicycled

Walked

Drove alone

Used transit

60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Under 30

30-39

40-49

50-59

Over 60

Transportation habits of the Millennial generation The Millennial generation is moving to Denver in record numbers. Research indicates that these 25-35 year olds are looking to live and work in walkable and bikeable communities and are owning fewer cars (Downtown Denver Partnership, 2012). Results from the commuter survey reflect these preferences.       

The average commute for respondents under 30 is 10.3 miles, while the average commute for those over 30 is 14.6 miles.

Of those who have a commute of five or fewer miles, 63% are under 40.

Commuters under 30 are over three times as likely to walk to work than commuters as a whole.

Commuters under 30 are almost twice as likely to bike to work than commuters as a whole.

Among males age 25-29, 15% bike to work.

Twenty-five percent of commuters under 30 are either annual B-Cycle members or have used the system, while only sixteen percent of commuters over 30 have used B-Cycle.

When coming to Downtown Denver outside of their regular commute, respondents under 30 are over twice as likely to bike or walk than respondents over 30.

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IMPACT OF GENDER Results from the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey reveal that males and females have different commuting habits, which mirrors national trends. Both U.S. Census data and Commuter Survey data show that bike commuters have the biggest gender gap. In Downtown Denver, males are 167% more likely to bike to work than females, and in the U.S., males are 116% more likely to bike to work. Additionally, in Downtown Denver, males are also more likely to walk to work and females are more likely to drive alone. As discussed on pages 5 and 14 of this report, the survey respondents were more female than the true breakdown of Downtown Denver employees, potentially affecting survey results.

Interesting trends emerge when examining how mode choice changes with age among male and female commuters. Commuting by bike decreases with age in a similar pattern in both males and females, although females bike less than males. While both males and females drive alone most in their 30s, the increase among females in their 30s is larger than the increase for males. Transit use among females in their 30s drops dramatically, while transit use among males steadily increases with age. This trend aligns with national research showing that people drive the most during their 30s and 40s, prime child-rearing and career-building years (source: US PIRG, 2013).

Female

Male

Bicycled

Female 3.1%

Male 6.7%

Carpooled

5.6%

5.1%

Drove alone

40.3%

35.4%

Moped/scooter/motorcycle 1.3%

1.7%

Teleworked

1.8%

1.0%

Used transit

44.3%

45.1%

Vanpooled

0.4%

0.5%

Walked

3.1%

4.4%

Bike mode share by age and gender Female

15%

5% 0% Under 29

30-39

40-49

50-59

Over 60

Transit mode share by age and gender Female

55%

45%

Male

10%

Drive alone mode share by age and gender 50%

Mode

Male

50%

40%

45%

35% 40%

30% 25%

35%

20%

30%

Under 29

30-39

40-49

50-59

Over 60

Under 29

30-39

40-49

50-59

Over 60 9

IMPACT OF OFFICE LOCATION The Partnership used work addresses to determine the office neighborhood of each survey respondent according to the neighborhoods outlined in the 2007 Downtown Area Plan (see map on page 13). The majority (54%) of survey respondents work in the Commercial Core area. The commuting habits of Commercial Core employees were most representative of the Survey as a whole because workers in this neighborhood are such a large percentage of survey respondents. However, for Auraria, LoDo, Cultural Core and CPV Commons neighborhoods, the survey revealed interesting trends. 

Auraria commuters are MORE LIKELY to carpool and drive alone, and LESS LIKELY to bike than commuters as a whole.



CPV Commons commuters are MORE LIKELY to bike and use transit, and LESS LIKELY to carpool and drive alone than commuters as a whole.



Cultural Core commuters are MORE LIKELY to bike, carpool and walk, and LESS LIKELY to use transit than commuters as a whole.



LoDo commuters are MORE LIKELY to bike, carpool, use transit and walk, and LESS LIKELY to drive alone than commuters as a whole.

Percent change between commuters in neighborhood and commuters as a whole

60%

MORE LIKELY

Auraria

MORE LIKELY

30%

30%

0%

Bike -30% -60%

Carpool Drive Alone

Use Transit

0%

Walk

Bike -30%

LESS LIKELY

-60%

Use Transit

Walk

LESS LIKELY

LoDo MORE LIKELY

MORE LIKELY 30%

30% 0%

0%

Bike

-60%

Carpool Drive Alone

60%

Cultural Core

60%

-30%

CPV Commons

60%

Carpool Drive Alone

LESS LIKELY

Use Transit

Bike

Walk -30%

-60%

Carpool Drive Alone

Use Transit

Walk

LESS LIKELY 10

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IMPACT OF COMMUTE LENGTH Unsurprisingly, commute length has an impact on mode choice. Commuters who walk have the shortest commute and commuters who vanpool have the longest commute. Also, those who drive alone have a shorter commute than those who use transit.

Commute length by mode Mode

Ave. one-way commute

Walked

1.4 miles

Bicycled Moped/scooter/ motorcycle Drove alone Carpooled Used transit Teleworked Vanpooled

4.7 miles 8.5 miles 14.4 miles 14.6 miles 15.2 miles 16.3 miles 47.2 miles

While the average one-way commute for respondents was 13.95 miles, 25% have a commute of 5 miles or less. Of these short distance commuters, 29% walk or bike to work. However, 33% still drive alone.

Commuters with a commute under five miles are also less likely to use transit. Encouraging more biking, walking and transit use for short distance commutes can reduce the number of commuters who drive alone to work.

Short distance commuters vs. all commuters Used transit Drove alone Carpooled Commute under 5 miles

Bicycled

All commuters

Walked Moped/scooter/motorcycle 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

WEEKEND vs. WEEKDAY COMMUTERS Commuting habits of weekday commuters are very different than commuting habits of weekend commuters.

Weekend commuters are less likely to take transit and more likely to walk, bike and drive alone. In fact, weekend commuters are almost three times as likely to walk to work than weekday commuters.

Mode Used transit Drove alone Bicycled Walked

Weekday 44.4% 37.0% 5.3% 3.7%

Weekend Percent Change 18.4% -59% 49.5% 34% 7.7% 45% 10.0% 167% 11

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2012 vs. 2013 While the Downtown Denver Partnership has Mode used on day of survey, 2012 vs. 2013 been conducting a commuter survey for Mode 2013 2012 % change seven years, changes in methodology have Used transit 44.6% 44.6% 0% made it challenging to track commuter data Drove alone 38.2% 38.7% -1% year-over-year. However, in 2012, the Carpooled 5.4% 5.6% -4% Partnership solidified their methodology, making 2013 the first year researchers were Bicycled 4.6% 4.3% 7% able to accurately compare current year Walked 3.7% 3.8% -4% survey data to data from previous years.

Teleworked 1.5% 0.8% 93% Survey results in 2012 were very similar to Moped/scooter/motorcycle 1.5% 1.8% -17% 2013, reinforcing the accuracy of this survey.

Vanpooled 0.5% 0.5% -6% The Partnership looks forward to tracking n 4464 3077 45% long-term changes in commuting habits through this survey in future years.

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS Lessons learned from the 2013 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey will inform the Downtown Denver Partnership’s efforts to implement the Downtown Area Plan and to support Downtown Denver businesses and employees. The Partnership will continue to advocate for policies, projects and programs outlined in the Downtown Area Plan, study commuting patterns, and educate employees and employers about commuting options.

The opening of Denver Union Station in 2014 will bring major changes to Downtown Denver commuters.

Market Street Station will close on May 9th and buses will be re-routed to Union Station. A new Downtown Denver commuter shuttle, the Free MetroRide, will also begin operations in May. This shuttle will circulate commuters from Denver Union Station to Civic Center Station via 18th and 19th streets.

ABOUT THIS REPORT The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey report is created by the Downtown Denver Research Department. Staff contributors and editors include: Emily Brett, Aylene McCallum, Aneka Patel, John Desmond and Jim Kirchheimer. Questions concerning the report, including requests to participate in the 2014 survey, should be directed to Emily Brett at ebrett@downtowndenver.com or 303-571-8216. The Partnership will provide customized reports to companies with significant participation in the 2014 Survey.

Unless otherwise noted, the source of the data in this report is the 2013 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey.

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APPENDIX A Methodology In September and October 2013, Partnership staff distributed the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey through e-newsletters such as the Partnership Member Advisory, Urban Eye, Skylines and The Connector; social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter; and through direct emails to top Downtown Denver employers requesting they distribute the Survey to their employees.

With the Downtown Denver employee population estimated at 115,020 employees (as of September 2013), the Partnership set out to receive at least 2,315 (2%) valid responses to the Survey.

Researchers at the Partnership received 4,729 completed surveys. Of these completed surveys, 4,485 were valid responses, representing 3.9% of the Downtown Denver employee population. The Partnership counts a survey as valid if the respondent works 20 or more hours per week in Downtown Denver, as defined by the 2007 Downtown Area Plan (DAP). This DAP definition of Downtown Denver includes the following neighborhoods: Auraria, Arapahoe Square, Ballpark, Central Platte Valley (Auraria, Commons and Prospect), Cultural Core, Golden Triangle, and LoDo. While the zip code 80202 covers much of central Downtown Denver, other zip codes are also included in the DAP. Thus, the Partnership conducted a detailed check of respondents’ work addresses to determine if the survey was a valid response.

Conditions Respondents completed the Survey from September 6th – October 7th, 2013. During this time period, the Denver Metro area experienced extremely heavy rainfall. Of the 34 days the survey was open, 10 Map of Downtown neighborhoods, days had more than a trace of precipitation, with 2007 Downtown Area Plan some days having very heavy rainfall. A total of 7 in. of rain fell in the City of Denver during the days the survey was open, which is almost six times the average precipitation for this time of year. Many communities surrounding Denver experienced even more rainfall and extreme flooding. While the Partnership is unable to definitively determine if this historic rainfall influenced 2013 Commuter Survey results, analysis of the data reveals a potential downward affect on bike mode share numbers reported by survey respondents.

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Unlike precipitation, temperature during this time period was average. The average high during the time period was 72° and the average low was 47°, roughly the same as the historical average high and low for this time period of 71° and 43°. The highest recorded temperature during this survey was 95° and the lowest recorded temperature was 24° (source: weather.com and wunderground.com).

The average price for regular gasoline in Denver during the time period respondents completed the survey was $3.55 per gallon, slightly lower than the United States average of $3.58 (source: www.eia.gov).

Weekly regular conventional retail gasonline prices $3.70

$3.68

$3.65

$3.62

$3.60 $3.55

Denver

$3.66

$3.59

$3.60

United States $3.57

$3.59

$3.51

$3.50

$3.50

$3.45

$3.46 $3.44

$3.40 09/02

09/09

09/16

09/23

09/30

10/07

Limitations While the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey aims to be as objective, reliable and valid as possible, it is not a scientific survey. Limitations include the issue of self-reporting, reliance on only an online survey and the challenge to reach a representative sample of Downtown Denver employees from a variety of organizations.

One way the Partnership measures the validity of the Survey is by comparing the demographic information of survey respondents to demographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal EmployerHousehold Dynamics (LEHD) program. The industry and age of survey respondents roughly matches the industry and age of all Downtown Denver employees as reported by the LEHD program. However, the gender of survey respondents (56% female, 44% male) does not match the gender of Downtown Denver workers as a whole (47% female, 53% male; source: LEHD). Because gender influences commuting habits, this is a significant limitation of the survey. National research shows that males are much more likely to bike to work than females. Recent Census data shows that males are 167% more likely to commute to work by bike than females in the U.S. and 220% more likely to bike to work in the Denver Metro area. Thus, Partnership researchers believe the number of commuters who bike to work is slightly higher than this survey shows due to the gender discrepancy of survey respondents.

However, the fact that Survey results are incredibly stable from year-to-year, despite changes in respondents’ employers, helps to validate the Survey’s accuracy. While it is not fully generalizable to the commuting population as a whole, the Partnership believes the Survey accurately represents commuting habits of Downtown Denver employees.

Visit www.DowntownDenver.com for full survey results 14

511 16th Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202 • 303-534-6161 • www.DowntownDenver.com