Walk Norfolk

More Norfolkians walked to work in 2013 than in 2008.

That's the upside.

The downside: Norfolkians have shunned public transportation since 2008 to commute to work.

Fewer rode buses, trains and ferries in 2013 than in 2008 – and The Tide, which opened in 2011, wasn't even open then.

The number of Norfolkians who commuted to work via public transportation dropped from 6,429 in 2008 to 4,956 in 2013.

Sadly, more people drove alone to work in 2013 than they did in 2008, from 73,759 in 2008 to 90, 620 in 20913.

It must be that cars and trucks are mini-entertainment centers.

If only The Tide, Norfolk's 7.4 mile light rail line, offered snacks and an assortment of other gratifications for the weary commuter or the tourist from Virginia Beach who thinks they want to experience Disney World without the expense.

To be fair, The Tide, a 7.4 mile light rail line, isn't commuter rail, supposedly. This isn't my observation; this is the observation and the opinion of a reader. And I respect the opinions of my readers because, after all, they are only opinions.

But walkers prevailed.

Walkers in Norfolk took to the streets last year to commute to work. It was a record. At least, let's say it's a record and brag about it.

The number of Norfolkians who walked – and probably talked while walking or texting – to work rose to 8,618 in 2013 from 5,871 in 2008.

I hope the homeless weren't counted. They walk all the time. And you could say they do commute to work.

Norfolk is a city where walking can be a pleasure. I said, can be; I didn't say it is a pleasure. It depends upon where you live and where you work.

Another quirky twist is that fewer Norfolkians worked at home in 2013 than in 2008 – a drop of more than a half.

You can infer a lot from the numbers.

You can infer that public transportation isn't so public anymore.

You can infer that drivers are addicted to their cars and trucks. This isn't an epiphany. It's a fact of American life. Yet this facet of American life and culture infuriates conservationists, environmentalists, public transit groupies and a host of other disinterested special interest groups.

You can infer that these same drivers most likely had to drive to work, which implies they may work in other cities because other cities have jobs.

You can infer that more divorces happened during this period. Husbands and wives and partners split, most likely because one of them worked too much at home.

You can infer, also, that more people lost their homes because they couldn't afford to pay their mortgage; so there were fewer people working at home because they were homeless.

So, for people who like to touch and feel the numbers, here they are.

Norfolk's Commuting Patterns

	2013	2010	2008
Car, truck, van – drove alone	90,620	84,089	73,759
Car, truck, van – carpooled	11,233	14,872	14,356
Public transportation	4,956	4,787	6,429
Walked	8,618	7,496	5,871
Other Means	2,811	2,920	1,124
Worked at home	4,232	2,924	9,848
Source: US Census Bureau