A view of our valley : a statistical look at the Pioneer Valley region

48 Pages·1993·2.6 MB·English

by  Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (Mass.)

ax
c
COM'mISSION J 9 93
UMASS/AMHERST
312Qbb01bS3STbS
VERNMENT DOCUIVji
.GGLLECTION
W
4
\
liWveisity^ Massachusetts
OUR
OF
A STATISTICAL LOOK AT THE
PIONEER VALLEY REGION

p
PIONEER VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION
26 CENTRAL STREET
WEST SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 01089
TELEPHONE [phone]
FAX: [phone]
POPULATION
MARKET TRENDS
EMPLOYMENT & INCOME
TRANSPORTATION
THIS REPORT WAS FINANCED BY THE
MASSACHUSEnS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
AND THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
A
View
OUR
OF
A STATISTICAL LOOK AT THE
PIONEER VALLEY REGION
1993
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2015
in
https://archive.org/details/viewofourvalleys04pion
1
INTRODUCTION
1
HIGHWAYS 4
Functional Classification 6
Jurisdiction 6
Bridges 9
Vehicle Miles Traveled 10
Average Daily Traffic Counts 1
Vehicle Registrations and Ownership 13
Vehicle Occupancy 17
Travel Time and Distance 18
Mode
Split 18
TRANSIT 22
Fixed Route System 23
Paratransit Services 25
Park-n-Ride Facilities 26
Intercity Service 27
RAIL TRAVEL 29
Passenger Rail Service 29
AIR TRAVEL 30
BIKEWAYS 32
FREIGHT MOVEMENT 33
Rail 34
Air Cargo 37
Pipeline 37

A VIEW OF OUR VALLEY 1 993 • TRANSPORTATION
0
A
The Pioneer
Valley Region
This publication is one in a four- The area is unique withinthe Springfield, the third largestcity
part series of statistical guides CommonwealthofMassachusetts in Massachusetts, is the region's
to the PioneerValley Region of offering a diverse economic base, cultural and economic center.
WesternMassachusetts. The internationally knowneducation- The cities ofHolyoke and
PioneerValley Region encom- al institutions and unparalleled Chicopee were the firstplanned
passes the forty-three communi- scenic beauty. The Connecticut industrial communities inthe
ties ofboth Hampden and Hamp- Riverwith its fertile agricultural nation. A variety ofinternational
shire Counties. It is located in valley and the surrounding companies have theirheadquar-
themidwestem section ofMassa- foothills ofthe Berkshire ters ormajorplants in the region,
chusetts, and, as home to 602,878 Mountains provide premier including Milton Bradley,
residents, represents the fourth natural resources. Monsanto Chemical Company,
largest metropolitan area in New Massachusetts Mutual Life
England. The regioncovers Choices in lifestyles range from Insurance Company and
approximately 1200 square miles, contemporary downtown living to Stanhome, Inc.
roughly the same size as Rhode stately historic homes. Quality
Island. The six cities in the living is available in urban, rural Often referred to as the "Cross-
region have amayoral form of or suburban communities. roads ofNew England," the
government while the thirty- PioneerValley Region is located
seven towns are governed by at the interchange ofthe Massa-
townmeeting. chusetts Turnpike and Interstate
91. Domestic and international
VERMONT NEW HAMPSHIRE
airtravel is available in less than
a one-halfhourdrive from
Springfield at Bradley Interna-
tional Airport in Connecticut.
Passenger rail service is available
through Amtrak with a station in
the city ofSpringfield.
Significant tourist attractions
include the Basketball Hall of
Pioneer Valley Region Fame, the Volleyball Hall of
Fame, MountTom Ski Area, the
Eastern States Expositions and
the picturesque college communi-
ties ofAmherst, Northampton
and South Hadley.
1
A VIEW OF OUR VALLEY 1 993 . TRANSPORTATION
About This Report
This report is the third statistical A View ofOurValley consists of Previous base data reports were
guide published by the Pioneer fourmajor sections. Each section published by the Commission in
Valley Planning Commission is published individually and is 1977 and 1984. In updating and
since 1977. It includes informa- available as a separate report. preparing this release ofthe
tion about employment trends, Collectively, the entire publica- report, information from the 1990
population characteristics, trans- tion offers a comprehensive view census and othercurrent sources
portation and othersocioeco- ofthe PioneerValley Region. have been incorporated. Every
nomic characteristics. Muchof efforthas been made to provide
this data is used by the Commis- Population data from a commondenominator
sion for regional planning activi- Presents demographic information. basis of 1990. While some
ties. It also provides a general sources are dated 1989, this
reference and resource for Market Trends information is usually taken from
individuals ororganizations Examines residential real estate, the 1990 Census. In answering
seeking information about the commercial real estate and retail questions forthe 1990 Census,
region and its cities and towns. trends. the point ofreference forsome
answers was the previous yearof
Employment and Income 1989. Forthese questions, 1989
Contains data on employment, becomes the mostrecent informa-
wage rates and income. tion available. In some instances,
directparallels between this
report and the two early publica-
Transportation
tions were not possible; compa-
Describes passengerand freight
rable information was not always
transportation services and
available. Within this publica-
infrastructure.
tion, two sets ofdata with com-
monlabels may come from
differing sources and therefore
may notbe comparable. Every
effort has been made to state the
specific sources and to indicate
any aspects ofthe datawhich
may require caution when
interpreting.
2
A VIEW OF OUR VALLEY 1 993 . TRANSPORTATION
The information contained in The majorsource ofinformation
these pubhcations may be useful used throughoutthis report comes
in a variety ofapplications: from the United States Depart-
mentofCommerce, Bureau of
• EnvironmentalPlanning the Census. Other sources
include the Massachusetts
• Economic and Community
Institute for Social and Economic
Development
Research and surveys conducted
• Growth Assessment by the Pioneer Valley Planning
•MarketResearch Commission.
• GrantPreparation
The PioneerValley Planning
Commission offers additional
information and publications for
In additionto planning boards, these topics and other areas not
the following individuals or covered in the report. Custom-
groups may find the information ized research and analytical
valuable: services are also available.
Formore information, call the
• Citizen Groups Commission's Regional Data
Center at [phone].
• Educational Institutions
• Businesses
• Chambers ofCommerce
• Real Estate Developers
• Social Service Agencies
• Government Agencies and
Officials
3
A VIEW OF OUR VALLEY 1993 TRANSPORTATION
.
The PioneerValley Region is 91 traveling north-south, the The interstate expressways
considered the crossroads of region offers easy access to all (I-90/I-91)link mostofthe
transportation in New England. markets in the Eastern United majorurban centers in the region.
Situated at the intersectionof the States and Canada. Majoreastern The pattern ofprincipal arterial
area's majorhighways, Interstate seaboard population centers are highways in the region is radial,
90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) accessible within hours. extending outwards from each
traveling east-west and Interstate ofthe region's majorcenters, a
consequence ofdevelopment and
topographic influences.
Table - DRIVING DISTANCE AND TIME FROM SPRINGFIELD
1
The highwaynetwoiic is com-
Destination Distance Time
posed ofvarious facilities that
Albany 85 miles 1.5 hours are separated into systems within
Boston 91 miles 1.5 hours the federal-aid highway program
Montreal 301 miles 5.5 hours by the Massachusetts Highway
New YorkCity 140 miles 3.0 hours Departmenton the basis oftheir
Philadelphia 260miles 5.0hours functional classification which
Washington 400miles 8.0hours takes into accountthe various
Timesesiimaledusingtravelspeedof55MPH. functions and uses ofthe roads.
Source: GreaterSpringfieldConventionandVisitorsBureau, 1988. The federal-aid highway program
in Massachusetts is a state admin-
Figure - PIONEER VALLEY LOCUS MAP istered program. The program
1
consists ofthree separate federal
aid systems: the National High-
way System, the Interstate
System and the Surface Transpor-
tation Program.
4