Orange County NC Website
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effects of legal controls such as subdivision regulations and <br />zoning ordinances, availability of public utilities and trans- <br />portation facilities, and topographic and other physical feature <br />of the urban area. <br />POPULATION TRENDS <br />Travel is directly related to the size and distribution of <br />the population and the volume of traffic on any section of <br />roadway. One of the basic steps in planning a transportation <br />system is the population study. The purpose of the study is to <br />enable the planner to forecast a reasonable and future populatiol <br />and its distribution. A close look at the past will give some <br />indication as to future trends. <br />From 1960 to 1970 Orange County experienced an average annua <br />growth rate of 3.4 percent. The increase in <br />Poulation was <br />attributed to families migrating into southern regional states <br />such as North Carolina. However, Hillsborough was feeling the <br />reverse affect of this migration and had an annual growth rate of <br />-0.4 percent for the same period. This was altered from 1970 to <br />1980 when Hillsborough grew 4.7 percent. <br />Hillsborough and Orange County are expected to grow in <br />Population over the periods shown in Table 1. This <br />growth <br />partially to the construction of I -40 through orange County �andue <br />the accessibility this highway will give the residents of <br />Hillsborough to the surrounding areas. <br />VEHICLE OWNERSHIP TRENDS <br />As can be seen in Figure 3 and corresponding Table 2, there <br />has been a significant increase in the number of vehicles reg- <br />istered for residents of Orange County. This graph was derived <br />dividing the total population by the total number of vehicles <br />registered for the years shown. The results illustrate the <br />transition from a non - automobile oriented society to one whose <br />vitality is heavily dependent on the automobile. This change in <br />lifestyles has gradually occurred over many years, with the most <br />dramatic difference being between 1940 and 1950. This is due <br />primarily to four reasons: <br />1) the marked difference in the availability of autos for <br />purchase before and after WWII. (more cars to purchase) <br />2) the transition from an economy dominated by agricultural <br />activity to a more diverse one. (less people on the <br />farm but more need for transportation) <br />3) the steadily improving post - depression era standards of <br />living. (more money to purchase cars) <br />Flul <br />it <br />