AN EMERGING TRANSPORTATION VISION FOR 2025:

RESULTS OF RECENT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

SPONSOR:

VTRANS2005 Policy Committee

Contact: Charlene “Gus” Robey, Department of Rail and Public Transportation, TDM and Marketing Section

RESEARCH VENDOR:

Southeastern Institute of Research, Inc., Richmond, VA. Conducted: 2004

Contact: Lynda South

Telephone: 804-786-2715

OVERALL PURPOSE:

VTrans2025 is an important role in the development of a long-range transportation plan for Virginia. The Vtrans2025 planning process inventoried transportation issues facing the Commonwealth, evaluated existing transportation policies, and gathered stakeholder and citizen input to develop a develop a first-rate, well-balanced, long-range transportation plan that reflected the interests of all parts of the Commonwealth. This research was designed to provide input and guidance for the Vtrans2025 planning process.

This research expanded on and tested concepts and observations arising from initial public outreach activities carried out by Virginia Tech and Cambridge Systematics, Inc. The survey results provided statistically projectable findings on citizen needs and expectations for Virginia’s future transportation system.

OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH:

Ž Assess residents’ appreciation, ratings, and prioritization of specific values, goals and visions as identified by VTrans2025 stakeholders through dozens of public outreach meetings across the Commonwealth.

Ž Understand how various minority and transportation challenged subgroups appreciate, rate, and prioritize the values, goals, and alternative visions.

Ž Prioritize the goals, values, and alternative visions to help guide VTrans2025 planning for Virginia’s future transportation planning.

METHODOLOGY:

Mode of Data Collection	Telephone survey
Completed Surveys	1,212 completed surveys
Survey Population	Random sample of Virginia residents
Survey Instrument	Questionnaire administered by telephone interviewer
Criteria for Participation	Adults, aged 18 or older

SELECTED KEY FINDINGS:

Ž About half (49%) of Virginia’s residents view the Commonwealth’s current transportation system as “excellent” or “good” while 44% view the transportation system in their local area to be “excellent” or “good”.

Ž For both the State of Virginia and local areas, road congestion (66%) and getting around safe and easily (60%) are primary concerns.

Ž Improving the transportation system in Virginia is important. Virginians want to expand or improve public transportation (68%) and highways and roads (63%) rather than simply maintaining them.

Ž Approximately 84% of residents agree they want safer transportation, even if they have to pay more for it.

Ž 78% of residents would support tax increases if guarantees can be made to spend money solely on transportation-related projects.

Ž In terms of values and goals toward the development of a long-term transportation system, Virginians rate safety/security and protection of the environment the highest - 73% or nearly three-fourths of residents place greatest emphasis on protection of the environment and enhanced safety.

Ž Perceptions and ratings of transportation-related planning goals and values vary by audience perspective. Northern Virginia residents covet moving faster, while those who use mass transit are more concerned about transportation costs, and minorities and the disabled place a higher value on helping those with special needs.

Ž Virginians rate six goals of transportation about equally, giving highest ratings to safety and security and program delivery.

Ž The most important issue for Virginians is the possibility that transportation projects may threaten the quality of the environment or the quality of life. And, transportation projects that result in reduced safety are not acceptable.

Ž Nearly half (44%) of residents do not believe that transportation decision-makers have adequately considered citizens viewpoints in the development of transportation plans in the past.

Ž Virginians want a more strategic (68%) and fully integrated approach (66%) to transportation.

AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS:

Questionnaire

Data Tables

PowerPoint Presentation

Executive Summary

KEY WORDS:

Citizen input, disabled, environment, minorities, public transportation, quality of life, safety, transit, transportation costs, transportation goals, transportation planning, transportation values, transportation system, transportation visions, VTrans2025