CHAPTER 3 – DEMOGRAPHICS AND LAND USE OVERVIEW The demand for transportation is generated from human activity. As such, population is a key variable in understanding and forecasting travel demand. There are many variables that are also useful in understanding travel behaviors. For example, variables such as the number and size of households and the amount and type of employment relate to the number of trips that are made in a community. The geographic locations of these activities (i.e. land uses) also affect travel patterns throughout the community. In order to understand and forecast travel demand, it is necessary to look at the variables that create the demand. The following socioeconomic data serves as input into the Trip Generation Module or Traffic Model for the Wausau Area. This information is taken from the American Community Survey, a product of the US Census, with additional data sources being used to provide employment data.

Population Households Household Size Distribution Autos Available by Household for Region Retail Employment Service Employment Other Employment Total Employment

SOCIOECONOMIC DATA Population The US Census Bureau provides the number of persons and households by census block. Census blocks are areas bounded on all sides by visible features, such as streets, roads, streams and railroad tracks, and by invisible boundaries, such as political borders, property lines, and short, imaginary extensions of streets and roads. In general, census blocks are small in area; for example, a block bounded by city streets. However, census blocks in sparsely settled areas, or areas not divided by physical barriers or political boundaries, may be made up of many square miles. Population by census block for the Wausau Metropolitan Area is shown in Map 3-1. Outside the urbanized area, census block sizes are quite large. Therefore, the population map may be mistakenly interpreted suggesting a greater concentration of people in the rural areas. To better illustrate population concentrations, a population density map (Map 3-2) was created, which indicate the number of people per acre for each census block. This map provides a better depiction of the distribution of people throughout the area. Most of the urban areas within the Cities of Wausau, Schofield, Mosinee, and the Village of Rothschild, have population densities above 6 to 10 persons per acre.

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

O

X

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

O

K

U

O

O

N

B

AA

J

J

R

R

52

WW

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Population by Census Block - 2010 map 3-1

2010 Population0 - 14

15 - 40

41 - 90

91 - 201

202 - 480

481 - 1020

0 1 2Miles

¶

Source: US Census 2010

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

O

X

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

O

K

U

O

O

N

B

AA

J

J

R

R

52

WW

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Population per Mile by Census Block - 2010 map 3-2

Population / Mile< 200

200 - 2000

2000 - 4000

4000 - 10000

10000 - 33823

0 1 2Miles

¶

Source: US Census 2010

3-4

However, many blocks within the City of Wausau’s older neighborhoods have densities between 11 to 15 persons per acre and several blocks with 16 to 30 persons per acre. The Village of Weston, the Village of Kronenwetter, and the Town of Rib Mountain have a few blocks with 5 to 10 persons per acre and larger areas with 2 to 5 persons per acre. Most of the planning areas outside the urban centers have densities less than two persons per acre. The area has continued to grow over the last couple decades, increasing in population by five percent between 1980 and 1990 and nine percent 1990 and 2000. Several communities report a continued growth in new housing starts, which suggests that the area had continued growth in population in the early 2000’s. The last few years have seen a downturn in the housing economy based on the overall economic downturn. Since 2000 the population rate of increase has been only .06 percent. Households Households by census block are shown in Map 3-3. Households or dwelling units are typically used as the variable for calculating travel trips based on corresponding trip generation rates. The existing Traffic Model provides trip generation rates for households by size (persons per household) and by the number of autos available. The number of households generally corresponds with population. However, there are subtle differences between geographic areas based on type of housing units and household size. For example, areas with primarily single-family detached housing will likely have larger families, whereas areas with apartments and townhouses are likely to have more one or two person households. Not surprisingly, larger households tend to generate more travel trips than do smaller households. The Wausau area average household size in 2010 was 2.32 persons per household. However, average household size can vary significantly by neighborhood. Household size can also change over time. Over the last several decades, average household size has decreased dramatically, due to people having fewer children, people waiting longer to have children, more single-parent families, people living longer and plus more older people are living alone, and rising incomes which allow persons to afford to live alone. Housing density information is a useful consideration in the evaluation of various transportation facilities. Transportation improvements that serve more households per unit of improvement generally will produce greater utility. For example, public transit service in a higher density residential area can serve more households per vehicle mile of service than transit service in a lower density residential area. Similarly, a mile of sidewalk or trails in a high density area can serve more people than in a low-density area. Employment Employment data by type of employment is required input into the Traffic Model. The US Census Bureau provides employment data by Transportation Analysis Zone (TAZ) through the Census of Transportation Planning Package (CTPP). However, the current TAZ boundaries are much larger than census blocks providing generalized employment location information.

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

O

X

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

O

K

U

O

O

N

B

AA

J

J

R

R

52

WW

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Households by Census Block - 2010 map 3-3

Households0 - 10

11 - 34

35 - 85

86 - 195

196 - 482

0 1 2Miles

¶

Source: US Census 2010

3-6

In order to provide more detailed employment location information, the Dunn and Bradstreet 1999 employment database was used to review employment data by street address and type of business. Identifying concentrations of employment, and travel destinations, are useful in evaluating options for transportation improvements. While there are significant numbers and concentrations of employment throughout the metro area, downtown Wausau shows the most consistent employment density in the area. Liberty Insurance and the Aspirus Hospital area also have notable employment concentrations. Both retail/commercial areas and industrial park areas offer prominent employment concentrations as well. To determine and assign accurate employment data to the TAZs for the development of the 2011 Traffic Model, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) used the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) unemployment compensation master file to provide 2009 employment-based data. WisDOT geo-coded the employer records in the DWD master file to Wausau TAZs. Employer confidentiality was maintained in the process as WisDOT staff conducted it and the resulting employment totals sorted by standard industrial classification code were provided to HNTB for model use. LAND USE The following discussion relates to how land is utilized by the population and specifically how land use relates to transportation. The Transportation and Land Use Relationship The organization of daily life has created a demand for travel. The demand for publicly accessible transportation connections between geographic locations grew into a desire for faster and more comfortable travel. The result of this demand has been the development of extensive transportation networks and technological advances in the means of transportation. These transportation improvements in turn have impacted daily activities, where geographic distances are less of an impediment than in the past. Not long ago, walking distances defined the geographic relationship between daily activities. The destination of one’s work, shopping, social and religious institutions needed to be within a reasonable walking distance of one’s home. These distances were a function of time; that is, the location of one’s home and one’s daily destinations were tied to how much time they were willing to take to travel between destinations. These “time budgets”, were defined by the transportation system and the transportation modes available. Households still make travel decisions based on time budgets. However, the development of automobiles and the corresponding roadway infrastructure has made it possible to travel much greater distances within an allotted time, allowing daily activities to be located much farther from one’s home. Transportation and Development Cycle Just as the transportation system impacts location and destination decisions, the location, mix, and design of destinations greatly impact the demand for the transportation system. Improved transportation systems allow greater accessibility between dispersed land uses. In turn,

3-7

dispersed land uses require more travel and thus more demand for transportation infrastructure. The importance between land use and transportation should not be underestimated. Land use patterns and development decisions are often seen as controlled solely by market forces, leaving public agencies to respond to the transportation demand created in their wake. However, public land use policies directly affect private land use decisions such as zoning regulations and minimum parking requirements. Therefore, land use policies need to be considered in relation to the impact of transportation just as transportation policies need to be considered in relation to land use. Transportation systems and land use patterns have a well-documented reciprocal relationship. As communities have grown, the demands for transportation system improvements have also grown. However, these transportation improvements have also provided more convenient access to land farther out, thus spurring further growth. More than any other transportation system, it has been the road network and the prevalence of the automobile that has impacted land use patterns over the past half-century. Existing Land Use Land cover was used as a proxy for existing land use. This was done to achieve consistency in describing existing land uses throughout the area, since some communities have adopted land use plans that use slightly different categories to describe land uses. Map 3-4 shows land cover for the Wausau Metropolitan Planning Area. Noteworthy land use patterns or issues include:

Rivers divide the urbanized area between east and west and to a lesser extent from north to south.

Development is not contiguous; in general, jurisdictions have their distinct areas of both residential and commercial development. In many cases, water, or undeveloped land separates communities from their neighboring community.

Development corresponds to the freeway system. Minority Population Map 3-5 illustrates the percent minority population by census block in 2009 for the Wausau Metropolitan Area. Executive Order 12898 and the DOT and FWHA Orders on Environmental Justice address persons belonging to any of the following groups: Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian and Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The Asian population, by far, is the largest minority population in the area, accounting for 7.5 percent of the MPA population. The total MPA minority population is about 10.2 percent. Low-Income Populations Map 3-6 indicates the number of low-income persons by Census Block Group. Low-income population is defined as a person whose household income (or in the case of a community or group, whose median household income) is at or below the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines. Approximately five percent of the MPA population lived under the poverty level in 2009.

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

!(

")

")

")

")

")

!(

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

X

Z

Z

O

O

O

U

O

J

O

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

K

O

N

B

AA

J

R

R

WW

52

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Land Use Cover 2008 map 3-4

Land Use Cover 2008SINGLE FAMILY RES

MULTI-FAMILY RES

COMMERCIAL

INDUSTRIAL

CROP LAND

OTHER AGRICULTURE

SPECIALTY CROP

FOREST LAND

BARREN

QUARRY

PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC

RECREATIONAL

TRANSPORTATION

UNKNOWN

WATER

State & US Highways

County Roads

Local Roads

Railroads - Active

Mountain Bay Trail

®q Public Airport

0 1 2Miles ¶Source: Marathon County

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

O

X

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

O

K

U

O

O

N

B

AA

J

J

R

R

52

WW

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Percent Minority Population by Census Block - 2010 map 3-5

Minority Population< 6%

6% - 9%

9% - 18%

18% - 28%

28% +

0 1 2Miles

¶

Source: US Census 2010

®q

®q

¥¦¦

(/

¥¦¦

")

")

")

")

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

") ")

")

")

")

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

!(

")

")

")

")

")

!(

") ")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")

")Stettin

Marathon

maine

Texas

Wausau

Rib Mountain

Mosinee

V. of Kronenwetter

Weston

V. of Weston

C. of Mosinee

V. of Rothschild

C. of Schofield

C. of Wausau

Ringle

V. of Brokaw

X

Z

Z

O

O

O

U

O

J

O

X

X

X

Z

N

L

X

K

O

N

B

AA

J

R

R

WW

52

WW

52

JJ

XX

KK

KK

NN

29

29

39

51

39

153153

Income map 3-6

Income14783 - 29183

29184 - 40037

40038 - 47800

47801 - 54545

54546 - 70990

0 1 2Miles

¶

3-11

CONCLUSION As noted, population is a key variable in the demand for transportation. While births and deaths impact population, migration, both in and out, plays a more critical role in population shifts. Employment is often the key factor impacting migration. Even though there is a bit of the chicken and egg conundrum with respect to employment and population, in our increasingly mobile society, people generally tend to move to where there are jobs. Employment locations can also be used as a surrogate variable for identifying trip destinations, given that employment sites not only attract workers, but they also attract shoppers, students, truckers, etc. depending on the type of work being conducted. By using socioeconomic data, such as population and employment, it is possible to generate a better understanding of the distribution of human activities and travel demand. The Wausau Metropolitan Area has seen significant growth in population and employment over the past several decades. In recent years population and employment are trending downward. Projections to continue to grow and the location and distribution of this growth will need to balance with the downward trending of future transportation demand. Likewise, future transportation improvements may impact where and how future growth occurs further impacting the transportation system and the area’s quality of life. The socioeconomic and land use data presented provide some of the data needed in the development of the travel demand model. The model can then be used to measure the transportation impacts of projected growth and test transportation system improvements in addressing those impacts.