11 Improve multimodal access to regional jobs
Improve multimodal access to regional job concentrations identified in Thrive MSP 2040
11.1 Peer region multimodal job accessibility
The Twin Cities region ranks 3rd among 24 highway peer regions for accessibility by auto. In 2016, the typical worker had access to about 741,000 jobs within 30 minutes by auto. Among large metropolitan areas, only Los Angeles and San Jose have access to more jobs within 30 minutes by auto.
The Twin Cities region ranks 16th among 53 peer regions for accessibility by transit. In 2017, the typical worker had access to about 14,000 jobs within 30 minutes by transit.
The Twin Cities region ranks 13th among 49 peer regions for overall accessibility by bike. In 2017, the typical worker had access to about 134,000 jobs within 30 minutes by bike.
The Twin Cities region ranks 11th among peer regions for accessibility by bike on low stress bike routes and 10th among peer regions for accessibility by bike on mild stress bike routes.
In 2017, the typical worker had 30 minute access to about 6,000 jobs on low stress bicycle routes and about 15,000 jobs on mild stress bicycle routes.
11.2 Regional telework
11.2.1 2020 Household Survey: COVID-19 Trends
The Met Council tapped into a panel of participants from the 2019 Travel Behavior Inventory (TBI) survey to study the short and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These follow-up surveys are helping explain how COVID-19 has changed and is changing regional travel behavior by comparing current behaviors to participants’ behavior in 2018-2019. Key findings include stark differences in commute by household income.
The survey responses showed how the respondents’ commutes have changed after the pandemic took hold in March of 2020, and the responses generally stayed consistent over time. Results from the May 2020 survey showed across all incomes:
- Workers who used to use public transit are primarily teleworking (58%), driving (12%), or unemployed (16%). Only 11% continue to take transit to work.
- Workers who used to drive to work are teleworking (48%), or still driving to work (39%), with a smaller share who are unemployed or furloughed (13%).
- Workers who used to telework continue to do so (91%), with some now driving to work (7%) and very few unemployed (2%).
- Workers who used to bike or walk to work are most likely teleworking (62% and 31% respectively).
11.2.1.1 Travel impacts based on income
People in households earning more than $50,000 Before the pandemic 83% drove to work, 6% took transit, 5% were teleworking, and about 2% were unemployed. After the outbreak this shifted. The May survey showed about 33% of these people drove to work, 54% were teleworking and 10% were unemployed. Those who teleworked before the pandemic continued to work from home.
People in households earning less than $50,000 Before the pandemic 64% drove to work; 10% took transit, 5% teleworked, and about 6% were unemployed. In May 2020, commute travel looked very different: 36% drove to work, 24% teleworked, and people who were unemployed jumped to 34%. The survey data reflects that there was a disproportionate impact on unemployment for lower income workers.
You can read more about the 2020 household survey on the Metropolitan Council website.
11.2.2 Telework trends since 2020
From 2019 to 2021, Twin Cities workers drastically changed their commute. On a typical weekday in the Twin Cities metro area in 2021, 526,000, workers telecommuted or worked from home in 2021 - more than double the number in 2019.
In 2019, just 74,900 reported that they teleworked 4 or more days per week. This value jumped to 216,400 in 2021.