Issue 410 April 7, 2003

Land of Cars

Last weekend, Newsday looked at changes on Long Island over the last quarter century, comparing today with statistics from a 1978 report it published entitled, "Long Island at the Crossroads."

Congestion and lack of travel options are serious and worsening problems. While the population of Suffolk has increased 10.5% since 1980, registered vehicles have skyrocketed by 44.5% — Suffolk now has one car for every human over age 15.

The chart below highlights changes since 1978. They illustrate some of the reasons that led Lee Koppelman, a Stony Brook professor and long-time analyst of Long Island planning issues who worked on the 1978 project, to give transportation on Long Island a lowly "D-" in the recent Newsday account.

Tale of the Tailpipe: Suffolk County 1980 and 2000

1980

2000

% change

Population

1,284,200

1,419,400

10.5%

Passenger car registration

710,376*

1,027,031**

44.5%

Cars per person

.55

.72 (one car for everyone over the age of 15)

30%

Price of Gas

65 cents*

$1.77***

- 5.2% (inflation adjusted)

Median family income

$24,195

$72,112

24% (adjusted)

Median Housing Price

$55,542

$101,535

83% (adjusted)

Sources: Newsday, US Census, NYS DMV

* 1978 figures. Gas price expressed in 1978 dollars.

** 2001 figure

***2003 price, expressed in 2003 dollars. 

 

 

 

 

 


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