Transit Access for Rosemont Seniors Better than Many in Metro Area

Rosemont has a large population of older residents, but they shouldn't have much trouble getting to public transportation, a new report said Tuesday.

The report, released by advocacy group Transportation for America, evaluated metropolitan areas by how easy it would be for aging baby boomers to walk to public transportation.

“The baby boom generation grew up and reared their own children in communities that, for the first time in human history, were built on the assumption that everyone would be able to drive an automobile,” Transportation for America co-chair John Robert Smith said in a press release.

The study rated the Sacramento metropolitan area as 35th for its size, saying that by the year 2015, 41 percent of those in the area aged 65-79 will have "poor" access to public transit. That means they can walk to fewer than 1.7 bus, rail or ferry routes, the study says.

The report states most older Americans don't relocate after retirement age, so it's important they age in communities with good transportation options.

"Absent access to affordable travel options, seniors face isolation, a reduced quality of life and possible economic hardship," the report says.