presented by adam davis, partner su midghall, partner davis, hibbitts & midghall, inc. public...

Presented By

Adam Davis, Partner

Su Midghall, Partner

Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, Inc.

www.dhmresearch.com

Public Opinion Public Opinion ResearchResearch

Implications for Implications for

Planning & PolicyPlanning & Policy

Select Findings and Observations

February 15, 2007

Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, Inc. │ SACOG Planning & Policy February 2007

• Research Purposes

• Assess regional attitudes toward transportation system improvements

• Assess motivations for reducing automobile trips

• Telephone survey of 1,050 regional residents (SACOG six county area), January 19-24, 2007

• Margin of error +/- 3.0%

• Supplemental survey and focus group research to validate and elaborate on findings

Research Research PurposePurpose


Overall, how would you rate your community as a place to live? You can use any number between 1 and 4, were 4 is excellent and 1 is poor.

SACOG SACOG Residents Rate Residents Rate Their Their Community Community Highly as a Highly as a Place to LivePlace to Live

2%

4%

13%

41%

41%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Don't know

Poor 1

2

3

Excellent 4

Scale of 1=poor to 4=excellent


• Access to retail, services, entertainment

• Small town feeling

• Open space and nature

• The people

• Security

• Community feeling

• Weather

Like Most Like Most About Living in About Living in RegionRegion


How would you describe the situation related to transportation here in the 6-county Sacramento region: not a serious problem, a problem but not that serious, a serious problem, or a critical problem?

Don’t know6%

A critical problem

16%

A problem, but not

that serious19%

A serious problem

42%

Not a serious problem

18%

Transportation Transportation System is a Big System is a Big ConcernConcern


• “I think emissions is the primary reason”

• “Sitting in traffic is horribly wasteful economically”

• “If we had better transportation 911 responses would be much faster”

• “If you don’t spend money on really important issues like this, in the long run, your society will deteriorate”

Why Should Why Should Something be Something be Done About Done About the Region’s the Region’s TransportatioTransportation Problemsn Problems


• “Problems with gridlock”

• “The frustration factor. Something’s got to be done about the number of cars on the road”

• “There’s accidents continually from aggressive drivers trying to get to where they want to go”

• “[To] end up with a saner, happier population with few social problems”

Why Should Why Should Something Be Something Be Done About the Done About the Region’s Region’s Transportation Transportation ProblemsProblems


• Four in five believe transportation system improvements must be made

Transportation Transportation System Needs to System Needs to be Fixedbe Fixed


Are there any transportation system improvements you would like to see including roads, freeways, bus, light rail, or pedestrian or bicycle improvements?

No18%Don't

know3%

Yes79%

Support for Support for Transportation Transportation System System ImprovementsImprovements


• Residents consistently identify a mix of needed highway/freeway and public transportation improvements

• Same priorities whether prompted or unprompted

• Also see road maintenance as a priority

Residents Want Residents Want a Mix of a Mix of Transportation Transportation ImprovementsImprovements


• “Not enough bridges are causing congestion—everything is plugged up”

• “Limit external growth and promote a strong and vital inner city”

• “Encourage employers to incentivize carpooling and flextime”

• “Light rail is fine for the region, but we need better maintained and wider roads”

What Should be What Should be Done About the Done About the Region’s Region’s Transportation Transportation ProblemsProblems


• “Higher gas tax”

• “They should have smaller buses-like vans to come around more often. Those big buses can’t get through the neighborhoods and they’re always empty”

• Greater light rail access to outlying areas”

• “Coordinate regional transportation development”

What Should be What Should be Done About the Done About the Region’s Region’s Transportation Transportation ProblemsProblems


Can you please describe the specific improvements you would like to see made?

Light rail extended to more areas 23%

Road conditions improved/Highway street repairs 19%

Bus service improved/More buses/Routes/Stops/Longer hours

15%

Capacity of highways/Freeways increased/Wider roads/More lanes

12%

Bike lanes added/Extended/Improved 9%

More highways/freeways 9%

More public transit/Accessible in more areas 6%

More roads/side streets 5%

Reduce congestion on highways 4%

All other responses3% or less

Desired Desired Transportation Transportation System System Improvements-Improvements-UnpromptedUnprompted


I would now like to ask you about road and freeway system improvements to reduce traffic congestion in the region.

Top RatedExtremely Important

%

Mean Rating

New freeway lanes added to the regional system to be used by all vehicles, 24 hours a day (Q19)

48% 4.0

New freeway lanes added to the regional system that would be HOV for carpools/buses during rush hour, and open to all traffic the rest of the time (Q20)

40% 3.8

New lanes or wider shoulders should be added to improve rural highways (Q22)

33% 3.7

New lanes should be added to improve four lane or wider urban streets (Q21)

27% 3.5

Add more sidewalks and crosswalks (Q24) 29% 3.4

Add more bicycle lanes (Q25 ) 28% 3.4

Add more bridges to regional system (Q23 ) 25% 3.4

Scale of 1=not

important at all to

5=extremely important

Road and Road and Freeway Freeway Options for Options for Reducing Reducing CongestionCongestion


I would like to ask you about public transit options to reduce traffic congestion in the region

Top RatedExtremely

Important %Mean Rating

Expand the light rail system (Q12) 44% 3.9

Add more regular buses that run more often and reach destination more often (Q15)

40% 3.8

Expand the commuter train system (Q14) 36% 3.8

Expand the community shuttle buses connecting to activity centers (Q17)

33% 3.6

Add more express bus service on the freeways (Q16)

32% 3.6

Add new types of buses that move faster and carry more people (Q13)

28% 3.5

Add new streetcar service (Q18) 21% 3.0

Scale of 1=not important at all to

5=extremely important

Public Transit Public Transit Options for Options for Reducing Reducing CongestionCongestion


• All areas and groups of residents want a balance of highway/freeway improvements and public transportation expansion

• Differences in transportation priorities are ones of emphasis, not overall value

Priorities are Priorities are Similar: Similar: Emphasis Emphasis DiffersDiffers


• Where residents live

• Length of commute

• Age

• How they view the seriousness of the transportation situation

• How likely they are to want to reduce car trips for a variety of different reasons

Different Different Factors Factors Influence Influence Desired Desired EmphasisEmphasis


• For low income to have mobility

• For elderly to have mobility

• Alternatives that are better for the environment

• Alternatives that are perceived to be more safe

• Some alternatives less stressful

• Alternatives that reduce use of fossil fuel

Residents See Residents See Benefits of Benefits of Transportation Transportation AlternativesAlternatives


• Many are changing behavior as much as they can

•Bundling errands

•Online shopping

•Walking and bicycling more

•Carpooling

•Using public transit more

Residents Residents are Tryingare Trying


• “Ride a bike; walk; carpool”

• “Telecommute”

• “More Internet shopping”

• “Walk down the street instead of driving”

• “Plan outings better”

• “Find out about alternative transportation options”

• “Work closer to home; less shopping”

Steps People Steps People Say They Could Say They Could Take to Reduce Take to Reduce Car TripsCar Trips


• Without being told of any possible changes, 45% say they are likely to shift at least 10% of their car trips to transit, walking, or bicycling over the next five years

• In another question, 83% said at least one of six possible changes would cause them to reduce their car trips

Many Say They Many Say They are Likely to are Likely to Reduce Car Reduce Car TripsTrips


• Besides gas at $4.50 a gallon, residents say other changes would cause them to reduce driving:

• Transit service nearer their home and work

• More frequent transit service

• Safer transit service

• Transit service that is at least as fast as driving

• Transit service that is less expensive than driving and parking

What Motivates What Motivates Residents to Residents to Reduce Car Reduce Car TripsTrips


Most Likely Least

Likely

A rail station (light rail, streetcar, or commuter train) would be within easy walking distance (5-15 minutes) to my home

Would have to start paying for parking at work

The price of gas would be over $4.50 per gallon long term

More bicycle lanes would be available to make me feel safer

using my bicycle for short trips

A bus stop would be within a short automobile drive (<15

minutes) to my home with easy parking Click the 'Next' button to continue...

Maxdiff Maxdiff ExerciseExercise


Cause to Reduce Car Trips Average

The price of gas would be over $4.50 per gallon long term 37.19

A rail station (light rail, streetcar, or commuter train) would be within easy walking distance (5-15 minutes) to my home

9.59

The time for a trip by transit would be at least 25% faster than by car 8.23

The time for a trip by transit would be the same as by car 5.67

The time it takes for your typical daily trips in your car would increase by 50% from today 5.31

Rail service (light rail, streetcar, or commuter train) would come reliably every 15 minutes 5.19

MaxdiffMaxdiffResultsResults


• Segment 1 (10%):

Dedicated Drivers 12% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

• Segment 2 (18%):

Ride Share Fans 33% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

• Segment 3 (7%):

Suburban Commuters 3% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

• Segment 4 (14%):

Roads & Rails 16% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

• Segment 5 (10%):

Progressive 40% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

• Segment 6 (10%):

Status Quo 14% “Very likely” to reduce car trips (vs. 22% overall)

Segmentation—CSegmentation—CLuster AnalysisLuster Analysis


• Potential for much greater use of public transit options is there

• Light rail, in particular, gets consistently high marks no matter how we ask about it. Additional bus service also is viewed as important

Public Transit Public Transit Improvements Improvements WantedWanted


• Given the diverse needs of the region and residents’ desire to reduce congestion, reduce use of fossil fuel, and improve air quality, addressing the region’s transportation system situation will involve different transportation system improvements—involving both highways and transit

Different Different Improvements Improvements NeededNeeded


• Seven in 10 believe new revenue will be needed

Transportation Transportation System Needs to System Needs to be Fixedbe Fixed


In general, do you think that over the next 10 years existing revenue resources will provide adequate funds to build the regional transportation system we will need in the future, or do you think new revenue sources will be needed?

New revenue sources will be needed

71%

Don't know10%

Existing revenue sources

will provide

adequate funds19%

New Revenue New Revenue Sources for the Sources for the Transportation Transportation SystemSystem


Multi-Layered Multi-Layered Strategies Strategies NeededNeeded

• Strategies must:

• Provide adequate access and efficiency of alternatives to driving

• Look not only at expanding services, but also land use and other policies that complement and support alternative transportation where it makes sense

• At the same time provide freeway and road maintenance improvements where need is greatest


• “Security on public transportation, cleaner”

• “Make RT run later into the night”

• “Metro Sacramento BART system connection to the airport”

• “Expand RT light rail to college communities”

• “Better designed public transit - parking access, security and safety, more direct routes, and greater coverage to other areas”

Transportation Transportation System System Improvements Improvements That Could That Could Help People Help People Reduce Car Reduce Car TripsTrips


• “Bus and light rail with more frequent service and closer stops”

• “More jobs closer to home”

• “Building the light rail Sac-Davis-Davis-Sac as voted years ago”

• “More (and safer) bike lanes”

• “Having smaller busses which are clean and safe and come more often through neighborhood streets”

Transportation Transportation System System Improvements Improvements That Could Help That Could Help People Reduce People Reduce Car TripsCar Trips

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