Agenda Methodology Major Findings –Perceptions of Congestion –Ease of Travel –Transportation...

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EEETTTCCC Results

2008 San Antonio-Bexar County Regional Transportation Attitude

Survey (RTAS) II

Agenda

• Methodology• Major Findings

– Perceptions of Congestion – Ease of Travel – Transportation Planning Issues – Interest in Using Public Transportation– Most Important Regional Transportation Investments– Freight Issues– How funding for transportation should change

• Summary and Questions

Methodology• Survey was conducted during the spring of 2008

• The resident survey was administered to a random sample of 1,628 residents.

– results have a precision of at least +/-2.5% at the 95% level of confidence.

• The employer survey was administered to a random sample of 305 employers

– results have a precision of at least +/-5% at the 95% level of confidence.

• The transit survey was administered to a random sample of 334 transit users

– results have a precision of at least +/-5% at the 95% level of confidence.

• Administered in English and Spanish

• Good representation from all demographic groups

• Home address of respondents was geocoded

Perceptions of Traffic Congestion and Other Issues

Increased greatly73%

Increased15%

Same2% Decreased

2%

Don't know7%

Increased greatly74%

Increased19%

Same3%

Decreased2%

Don't know2%

Compared to five years ago, how would you say that traffic congestion in the

San Antonio-Bexar County area has changed?by percentage of respondents

RESIDENTS EMPLOYERS

Ease of Travel in theSan Antonio Area

Satisfaction with the Ease of Travel in theSan Antonio Area

by percentage of respondents

10%

13%

14%

7%

5%

4%

3%

8%

4%

7%

5%

43%

36%

29%

32%

27%

26%

27%

20%

23%

18%

10%

28%

20%

25%

26%

29%

37%

25%

33%

25%

31%

30%

19%

31%

32%

36%

40%

33%

45%

40%

48%

44%

55%

Ease of travel from Bexar County to other cities

Ease of travel between home & downtown

Ease of travel from your home to work

Ease of travel by car on highways

Ease of travel by car on major city streets

Ease of travel between suburbs

Ease of north/south travel

Ease of travel by public transportation

Ease of east/west travel

Ease of travel by walking

Ease of travel by bicycle

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very Satisfied (5) Satisfied (4) Neutral (3) Dissatisfied (1/2)

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

Note: “Other” areas did not contain enough responses to show statistically significant results.

1.0-1.8 Very Dissatisfied

1.8-2.6 Dissatisfied

2.6-3.4 Neutral

3.4-4.2 Satisfied

4.2-5.0 Very Satisfied

Other

LEGEND

Satisfaction with the Ease of Travel from

Home to Work

Note: “Other” areas did not contain enough responses to show statistically significant results.

1.0-1.8 Very Dissatisfied

1.8-2.6 Dissatisfied

2.6-3.4 Neutral

3.4-4.2 Satisfied

4.2-5.0 Very Satisfied

Other

LEGEND

Satisfaction with the Ease of

East-West Travel

Note: “Other” areas did not contain enough responses to show statistically significant results.

1.0-1.8 Very Dissatisfied

1.8-2.6 Dissatisfied

2.6-3.4 Neutral

3.4-4.2 Satisfied

4.2-5.0 Very Satisfied

Other

LEGEND

Satisfaction with the Ease of

Travel by Walking

by percentage of respondents

26%

26%

37%

21%

50%

49%

37%

36%

15%

18%

16%

30%

10%

8%

10%

13%

Ease of east/west travel by bus

Ease of north/south travel by bus

Ease of travel by bus between home & downtown

Ease of travel by bus between suburbs

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very Satisfied (5) Satisfied (4) Neutral (3) Dissatisfied (1/2)

Source: ETC Institute (2008)

Satisfaction with the Ease of Travel by Bus in theSan Antonio Area: TRANSIT USERS

Transportation Planning Issues

Satisfaction With Efforts to Address Various Transportation Planning Issues in the Region

by percentage of respondents

12%

9%

7%

6%

6%

5%

6%

6%

6%

4%

5%

5%

6%

3%

4%

5%

42%

31%

31%

30%

28%

27%

25%

25%

23%

22%

19%

17%

16%

15%

13%

11%

31%

27%

41%

32%

35%

34%

34%

27%

23%

40%

25%

30%

39%

18%

28%

36%

16%

33%

21%

32%

31%

35%

35%

43%

47%

34%

51%

48%

39%

63%

55%

47%

Preserving historical sites

Protecting the Edwards Aquifer

Meeting the transportation needs of visitors

Protecting/preserving air quality

Improving safety

Protecting established neighborhoods

Saving energy

Protecting trees/other features of natural lndscp

Improving draining to prevent floods

Reducing noise from traffic

Maintaining existing roads & highways

Providing travel choices other than auto

Providing transportation services for seniors

Relieving traffic congestion

Controlling future real estate development

Providing bicycle paths/lanes

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very Satisfied (5) Satisfied (4) Neutral (3) Dissatisfied (1/2)Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

RANK RESIDENTS TRANSIT USERS EMPLOYERS

1stRelieving traffic

congestionRelieving traffic

congestionRelieving traffic

congestion

2ndMaintaining existing roads & highways

Protecting/preserving air quality

Maintaining existing roads & highways

3rdProtecting the

Edwards AquiferImproving safety

Providing travel choices other than

auto

4thControlling future real

estate developmentMaintaining existing roads & highways

Controlling future real estate development

5thProtecting/preserving

air quality

Providing transportation

services for seniors

Protecting the Edwards Aquifer

6thImproving draining to

prevent floods

Providing travel choices other than

auto

Improving draining to prevent floods

Most Important Transportation Planning Issuesby Type of Respondent

Interest in Using Public Transportation

Level of Interest in Using Various Types of Transportation in the San Antonio Area

by percentage of respondents

38%

29%

24%

20%

14%

12%

23%

28%

26%

25%

18%

19%

21%

24%

26%

27%

26%

27%

18%

20%

24%

28%

41%

42%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very Interested (5) Interested (4) Somewhat Interested (3) Not Interested (1/2)

Commuter or light rail service thatwould come by stops every 15 minutes

Bus Rapid Transit, which operateslike light rail using rubber tired vehicles

Ridesharing or carpool programwhere people would meet at parking lotand use dedicated lanes

Ridesharing or carpool program wherepeople would be picked up from home and use dedicated lanes

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

Expanded bus service where residents would be dropped off within 2 blocks of destination (same lanes as cars)

Expanded bus service where residents would be dropped off within 2 blocks of destination (dedicated bus lanes)

How the Frequency of Bus Service Would Affect Interest in Using Public Transportation

by percentage of respondents who indicated they would use the bus if it came by stops at various intervals

81% 78.9%

67.4%

31.5%

20.6%

4.9% 3.9% 1.8%

Every 5 min Every 10 min Every 15 min Every 20 min Every 30 min Every 40 min Every 50 min Every hour0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

83.4%

61.6%

25.9%

14.6%8.6%

3.4%

1 block 2 blocks 3 blocks 4 blocks 5 blocks 6+ blocks0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

How the Distance to Bus Stops Would Affect Interest in Using Public Transportation

by percentage of respondents who indicated they would use public transportation if bus stops were located within various distances from their home

Impact of Higher Gas Prices

Yes59%

No39%

Don't know2%

Have higher gas prices affected the way you travel to/from work or school?

by percentage of respondents

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

How Higher Gas Prices Have Affected the Way Residents Travel

by percentage of respondents

66%

24%

10%

8%

7%

Make fewer trips during the day

Purchased a more fuel efficient car

Work from home more often

Carpool or share a ride more often

Use public transportation more often

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Source: ETC Institute (2008) Resident Results

Regional Transportation Investment Priorities

RANK RESIDENTS TRANSIT USERS EMPLOYERS

1stWidening freeways by

adding lanesExpanding public transit

Widening freeways by adding lanes

2nd Rerouting truck traffic Improving

transportation services for seniors/disabled

Widening major streets in suburban areas

3rd Building light railBuilding shelters,

benches, other etc.Rerouting truck traffic

4thBuilding

overpasses/underpasses at railroad crossings

Developing Bus Rapid Transit

Building High Occupancy Vehicle

(HOV) lanes

5th Expanding public transitBuilding or widening

sidewalksBuilding light rail

6thWidening major streets

in suburban areasBuilding light rail

Acquiring land for traffic corridors/roads

Regional Transportation Investments That AreMOST Important by Type of Respondent

Significant Changes in the Priority Residents Place on Various Regional Transportation

Investments Since 1998

More Important• Light Rail• Building Park and

Ride Lots• Building/Widening

Sidewalks

Less Important• Building a network of

bicycle lanes

Freight Issues

Does your organization have freight transportation requirements?

by percentage of respondents

Yes32%

No67%

Don't know1%

Yes69%

No11%

Don't know20%

Do you think the region's AIRPORT facilities will be able to support your organization's freight transportation

needsover the next 20 years?

Source: ETC Institute (2008) EMPLOYER SURVEY

Does your organization have freight transportation requirements?

by percentage of respondents

Yes32%

No67%

Don't know1%

Yes54%

No35%

Don't know11%

Do you think the region's ROAD SYSTEM will be able to support your organization's freight transportation

needs over the next 20 years?

Source: ETC Institute (2008) EMPLOYER SURVEY

Does your organization have freight transportation requirements?

by percentage of respondents

Yes32%

No67%

Don't know1%

Yes50%

No8%

Don't know42%

Do you think the region's RAILROAD facilities will be able to support your

organization's freight transportation needs over the next 20 years?

Source: ETC Institute (2008) EMPLOYER SURVEY

How the Level of Funding for Transportation Should Change

Percentage of Respondents Who Thought Funding for Roads/Highways & Public Transit Should Be Increased

Over the Next 5 Yearsby percentage of respondents

68%

77%

55%

66%

71%

62%

ROADS AND HIGHWAYS

Residents

Employers

Transit Users

PUBLIC TRANSIT

Residents

Employers

Transit Users

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Much Greater Somewhat Greater

Summary• Residents were MOST satisfied with: (1) the ease of travel from Bexar County to

other communities outside Bexar County, (2) the ease of travel between their home & downtown, and (3) the ease of travel between their home and work

• Residents were LEAST satisfied with: (1) the ease of travel by bicycle, (2) the ease of travel by walking, and (3) the ease of east/west travel in the region

• Transportation Planning Priorities:– relieving traffic congestion was the most important transportation planning issue to all three

groups

• Interest in Using Public Transportation:– 61% were interested in using commuter or light rail– 57% were interested in using Bus Rapid Transit

• Investment Priorities:– Widening freeways was the most important transportation investment priority for residents

and employers – Improving public transportation was the most important investment priority to transit users– Developing light rail was one of the most important transportation investments for all three

groups

Questions ???

THANK YOU