CULLMAN, Ala. – A recent study revealed that the average commute to work for workers from Cullman County is 25.8 minutes.
The website Stacker “compiled a list of counties with the worst commutes in Alabama, using 2021 data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by longest average commute time in 2021 among workers over the age of 16, excluding those who work from home.” (www.stacker.com/alabama/counties-worst-commutes-alabama)
According to the list, Cullman ranked 38th out of 49 counties (there were some ties), with one being the worst, and 49th the best.
The following data was obtained:
- Average commute to work: 25.8 minutes
- Share with commutes over an hour: 13.3%
- Share that worked outside their county of residence: 26.4%
- Means of transportation to work:
- Drove alone: 85%
- Carpooled: 11.6%
- Public transportation: 0%
- Walked: 0.8%
- Bicycle: 0%
- Taxicab, motorcycle or other means: 0.1%
- Worked from home: 2.4%
Cullman County Commission Chairman Jeff Clemons shed light on potential challenges in analyzing commuting data for Cullman County. He pointed out that some studies may not consider the possibility of Cullman residents working in other locations. The proximity of Cullman County to nearby cities like Huntsville and Birmingham has had a significant impact on the county’s commuting trends. Clemens acknowledged that many Cullman residents commute back and forth to these cities. This movement has contributed to increased traffic on county roads, affecting the overall commuting experience, he said.
“Everybody wants to live in Cullman and drive back and forth because a lot of folks don’t want to live in Birmingham or Huntsville because of the growth and the crime rate,” Clemons said. “Our crime rate is real low here so that attracts a lot of people. They live here and commute back and forth.”
He continued, “We have the second most miles of roads in Alabama.”
Clemons said Cullman County has a little over 1,800 miles of county roads, highlighting the significant burden on taxpayers to ensure the road network’s maintenance and expansion. According to Clemons the County must continuously explore innovative solutions to cope with the increasing demands on its transportation system and manage the growing traffic on its roads.
Editor’s note: Back in 2018, The Tribune reported, “Cullman County has 2,393 miles of roads, more than 1,500 of which are maintained by the Cullman County Road Department.” ( www.cullmantribune.com/2018/01/07/tribune-exclusive-county-commissioners-county-engineer-respond-to-road-concerns)
