Pulsar Advertising Southeastern Institute of Research 1 I-66 Corridor: Westbound Traffic Issues Within the I-495 Beltway Community Involvement Survey December

Pulsar Advertising Southeastern Institute of Research 1

I-66 Corridor: Westbound Traffic Issues Within the I-495 Beltway

Community Involvement Survey

December 3, 2004 Pulsar

Advertising

G

Southeastern

Institute of Research

DRAFT


Agenda

I. Objectives

II. Methodology

III. Key Findings

IV. Conclusions & Implications


Research Objectives

• Provide input to aid in formulating a context-sensitive solution to managing congestion in the I-66 Westbound Corridor:

– Describe and document trips Westbound along the I-66 Corridor

– Identify and assess stakeholder perception of traffic congestion in the Westbound I-66 Corridor

– Explore the relative appeal of 4 concepts


Research Objectives (con’t.)

• Assess relative appeal of 4 initial concept categories that the Governor identified (as stated in Governor Warner’s letter dated September 4, 2003):

1. Bus or rail transit improvements2. Changing the requirements for

HOV and/or adding toll lanes

3. Roadway widening4. Do nothing


Study Methodology

• A random telephone survey was conducted among residents along the I-66 corridor

• In order to qualify for the survey, respondents had to live within a 10-mile long / 1-mile wide corridor along I-66. Some respondents lived inside the Beltway, and others lived outside the Beltway.

– Outside the Beltway, the eligible area was defined by zip codes

– Inside the Beltway, it was defined by carrier routes


Map of Study Area


Methodology (con’t.)

• All respondents traveled Westbound at least 3 times per week, using either I-66, Metro or other roads running parallel to I-66

– Total net incidence of residents who qualified: 52%

– Inside the Beltway Resident: 65%– Outside the Beltway Resident: 43%

• 501 interviews were completed– 300 with residents inside the Beltway– 201 with residents outside the Beltway– These sample sizes were established in advance to ensure that sufficient

numbers of these two groups were included in the total for individual analysis

• A sample of 501 has a margin of error of 4.4% at the 95% confidence level


Stakeholder View Of I-66 Westbound

Corridor Traffic


Commuters Believe that Westbound Traffic Is Becoming

More Congested

1%

32%

45%

17%

5%

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

Don't know

Very hard to travel with significantcongestion

Harder and harder to travel withgrowing congestion

Easy to travel with some congestion

Easy to travel with very littlecongestion

Question: How would you describe the traffic issues you encounter when driving either I-66 West or the other westbound roads running parallel to I-66? Would you say I-66 or the other roads are … ? (Read answers.)

77%

Unweighted data


Residents Both Inside and Outside the Beltway Believe that Westbound Traffic Is Congested

1%

46%

42%

8%

3%

3%

22%

47%

23%

6%

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

Don't know

Very hard to travel with significantcongestion

Harder and harder to travel withgrowing congestion

Easy to travel with some congestion

Easy to travel with very littlecongestion

Inside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

Question: How would you describe the traffic issues you encounter when driving either I-66 West or the other westbound roads running parallel to I-66? Would you say I-66 or the other roads are … ? (Read answers.)

69% inside and 88%

outside the Beltway believe

Westbound traffic is

congested.

Unweighted data


Commuters Believe the Congestion Is the Result of Too Many Cars and Not Enough Lanes for Westbound Traffic

Total

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway

% % %

Too many cars 38 39 38

Not enough lanes/ not wide enough

27 29 24

Expanding population

17 16 18

Too much development

12 8 17

Poor drivers / accidents

7 7 7

Bad merges / ramps 6 8 3

Poor infrastructure 6 3 9

Inadequate public transportation

5 5 5

Question: What do you see as the cause of the congestion you’re experiencing on either I-66 West or the other westbound roads running parallel to it?

Only most frequent mentions

are shown.

Unweighted data


What Do Commuters

Believe The Solution Should Be?


Assessment Approach

3 Ways To Assess Solutions:

1. Open-ended question Answer to “What do you believe could be done to lessen congestion?”

2. Ranking of the concept

3. Calculation of a Concept Performance Index

Possible Solutions:

Bus or rail transit improvements

Changing the requirements for HOV and/or adding toll lanes

Roadway widening

Do nothing


Assessment #1.Open-ended question

Answer to “What do you believe

could be done to lessen congestion?”


Commuters Propose Widen/Add Lanes

and Improve Public Transportation to Resolve Traffic Congestion

(Chart shows most popular commuter suggestions before hearing 4 alternative solutions)

Total

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway

% % %

Widen/add lanes 52 53 52

Improve public transportation/expand Metro

33 29 37

Build more roads 8 8 9

Extend Metro to Dulles

5 6 5

Improve HOV 5 6 3

Don’t know/refused 8 8 8

Question: What do you believe could be done to lessen the congestion along I-66 West and/or the I-66 Corridor to improve its efficiency for your use?

Note: The 4 options were

not mentioned. Only most

frequent top of mind

mentions are shown.

Unweighted data


Assessment #2.Ranking

Question: “Of all of these options, which would you choose first; which one

second, which one third and which one fourth?” (Rotate options to avoid order

bias)


Of Four Concept Categories Tested, Making Bus and/or Rail Transit Improvements Is the First Choice of

Westbound Commuters to Reduce Westbound I-66 Congestion

4%

12%

37%

47%

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

Do nothing

Change the requirements for HOVand/or add toll lanes

Roadway widening

Bus and/or rail transit improvements

Question: Of all of these options, which would you choose first; which one second, which one third and which one fourth?

Graph reports the proportion selecting each option as first choice.

Unweighted data


Those Who Live Inside the Beltway and Those Outside the Beltway Do Not Differ

Significantly in Terms of Their “First Choice” Solutions to Reduce Westbound

Congestion

2%

13%

40%

45%

5%

12%

34%

49%

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

Do nothing

Change the

requirements for HOV

and/or add toll lanes

Roadway widening

Bus and/or rail transit

improvements

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway



Unweighted data


Those Who Drive Alone or Carpool Prefer Either Improvements to Bus or Rail Transit or Widening the

Roadway to Reduce Congestion. Those Who Use Some Other Form of Transportation Prefer Making

Improvements to Bus or Rail Transit.

2%

13%

27%

58%

6%

10%

45%

39%

3%

12%

42%

42%

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

Do nothing

Change the



Roadway widening


improvements

Drive alone (n=306)

Carpool (n=31)

Vanpool/Metrorail/Bus/Telework(n=62)



Unweighted data


Those Who Believe The Congestion on Westbound I-66 Is Lighter and That It Is Easy to Travel on I-66 Prefer Bus and/or Rail Transit Improvements. Those Who Believe

Westbound I-66 Is Getting More Congested and Harder to Travel Prefer Either Bus and Rail Improvements or

Roadway Widening.

1%

13%

40%

14%

11%

23%

46%

51%

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

Do nothing

Change the



Roadway widening


improvements

Easy to travel on I-66(n=107)

Harder to travel on I-66(n=383)



Unweighted data


The Majority Selected “Do Nothing” As The Least Most Popular Option

Percent who selected “Do Nothing” as their last choice (option)

52%

66%

57%

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

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway

All Residents


Graph reports the proportion selecting each option as fourth (last) choice.

Unweighted data


Assessment #3.Concept Performance Index

Assigning 3 points for each first place choice, 2 points for each second place, 1 point for each third place and 0 points for each fourth place

choice.


Concept Performance Index

• Respondents ranked the four congestion reduction options according to their first choice, second choice, third choice and fourth choice.

• In order to assess how well the four options performed across all of these ratings, a Concept Performance Index was calculated.

• This index was calculated by assigning 3 points for each first place choice, 2 points for each second place, 1 point for each third place and 0 points for each fourth place choice. The total points for each option were totaled. And, the grand total for all options was calculated. The proportions reported for the index represent each option’s share of the grand total of points.


There Is No Clear Cut Winner. Making Bus and/or Rail Improvements Performs

Best on the Concept Performance Index. “Doing Nothing” Indexes Least Favorably.

10

25

29

36

0 20 40 60 80 100

Do nothing


Roadway widening



However, widening the

road and changing

HOV requirements or adding toll

lanes perform

reasonably well, also.

Unweighted data


The Four Options Tested Index About the Same For Inside and Outside the Beltway Residents

8

24

33

35

12

25

27

36

0 20 40 60 80 100

Do nothing


Roadway widening


Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway


Unweighted data


Rail Transit and/or Bus Improvements Are Rated Favorably Because They Are Viewed

as Decreasing the Number of Cars and Reducing Congestion; and, Because They

Would Move More People Total

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway

% % %

Fewer cars / less congestion 19 16 24

Environmental reasons 15 18 11

Bus or rail needs to be extended

14 12 18

Move more people 14 15 11

People would use it 13 16 8

Easiest / best option 12 10 16

Widening road would not solve

7 8 6

More convenient / less stress 5 5 6

Least disruptive 5 8 1

Like the idea 5 8 1

It’s needed 5 5 3

Don’t know 1 1 -

Question: Why do you choose “bus and/or rail transit improvements” as your first option for improving the efficiency of traffic flow along the I-66 Corridor?

Some concern for environme

nt

Only most frequent

mentions are shown.

Unweighted data


Respondents Support Widening the Roadway Because They Believe It Would Move More Cars and Increase Traffic Flow

Total

Inside of Beltway

Outside of Beltway

% % %

More cars – increase traffic flow

40 30 53

Easiest / best option 19 22 15

It’s needed 12 18 5

People / I prefer to use car 7 3 11

More people / development needs to keep up

6 6 6

Other 8 11 4

Don’t know 2 - 5

Question: Why do you choose “roadway widening” as your first option for improving the efficiency of traffic flow along the I-66 Corridor?

Only most frequent

mentions are shown.

Unweighted data


ConclusionTransit and Roadway Widening

Are The Most Popular

Open-ended Ranking CPI

Possible Solutions

Bus or rail transit improvements

Changing the requirements for HOV and/or adding toll lanes

Roadway widening

Do nothing

1

2

3

NA

2

1

3

4

2

1

3

4

Assessment #1

Assessment #2

Assessment #3


Commuters’

Expectations For Information About

Transportation Issues On I-66?


Two-Thirds Have Received the Information They Want Regarding

Transportation Issues Along the I-66 Corridor

5%

14%

4%

5%

8%

27%

21%

17%

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

Nothing

Very little

Much less than what you have needed

Somewhat less than what you haveneeded

Less than what you have needed

Some of what you have needed

Most of what you have needed

All that you have needed

Question: How would you describe the level of information you and your household have seen or heard regarding the transportation issues along the I-66 Corridor? Would you say you have seen or heard … ? (Read answers.)

Unweighted data

However, 36% would like more

information.


Those Living Inside the Beltway Are More Likely to Have Received the Information They

Want

6%

16%

4%

4%

10%

26%

19%

13%

5%

12%

3%

5%

6%

27%

22%

20%

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

Nothing

Very little







Inside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway


Unweighted data


Those Who Believe It Is Easy to Travel on Westbound I-66 Are More Likely to Have

Received the Information They Want

6%

16%

4%

5%

8%

27%

19%

14%

3%

7%

2%

4%

7%

24%

28%

25%

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

Nothing

Very little







Easy to travel on I-66

Harder to travel on I-66


Over three-fourths, 77%, of those who believe it is easy to travel on I-66 have

received the information they

want.

Unweighted data


Those Outside the Beltway Are More Likely to Want to Receive Information Via Television and Radio. Those Inside the Beltway Like

Getting Information through Regular Mail and Public Meetings.

2%

17%

14%

28%

52%

2%

19%

23%

30%

39%

35%

39%

67%63%

27%

45%

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

Don't know

Receive e-mails about it

Attend public meetings

Find information on the Internet

Receive information by regular mail

Hear about it on the radio

See and hear about it on television

Read about it in the newspaper

Inside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

Question: How would you like to be kept informed on transportation issues regarding the I-66 Corridor? Do you want … ? (Read answers.)

Both groups are equally

receptive to receiving

information electronically.

Unweighted data


5 Key Conclusions

&Implications


#1. Westbound Commuters Who Live Inside the Beltway and Those Who Live

Outside the Beltway Differ In Their Usage of the I-66 corridor

Conclusion: Those who live inside the Beltway are less frequent users of the Corridor. They are less likely than those outside the Corridor to be headed home, to be traveling in a car or other private vehicle, and to be commuting west in the afternoon peak hours than are commuters outside the Beltway.

Implication: Not all Westbound commuters have the same needs and preferences. Inside and outside the Beltway commuters, for example, have different perceptions and different expectations. Consequently, they will not all respond in the same way to congestion management programs.


#2. The Vast Majority of All Stakeholders (Inside And Outside The Beltway) Believe I-66

Westbound Is Becoming More Congested

Conclusion: Stakeholders believe that Westbound traffic in the I-66 Corridor is becoming more congested. They blame that congestion on the number of cars on the road, not having enough lanes on the road and population growth and development.

Implication: Stakeholders are sensitive to the growing congestion along the I-66 Corridor. They are ready to hear about plans for its management.


#3. Of Four Alternative Concepts Tested,

Making Bus and/or Rail Transit Improvements and Roadway Widening

are the Most Appealing OverallConclusion: Nearly one-half (47%) of commuters rated bus and/or rail transit option as their first choice as a way of reducing congestion. And, one-third (33%) said (without interviewer prompting –as an open end question) that the public transportation and Metro should be improved and expanded to lessen congestion in the I-66 Corridor. On a Concept Performance Index, bus and rail improvements also scored highest, indexing at 36%.

Widening the roadway is also a popular choice with commuters. Over one-half of respondents suggested this solution in an open-ended question. Over one-third (37%) rated this option first. It scored well on a Concept Performance Index as well.

Implication: From the perspective of stakeholders, making “bus and/or rail improvements” should be adopted as a plan – or at least as part of a plan – to reduce traffic congestion on Westbound I-66. Widening the roadway is also a strong contender and should be included as part of a plan that is responsive to the needs and preferences of stakeholders. Ideally, a plan that involves both bus and rail improvements and widening the roadway would be a context-sensitive solution.


#4. To “Do Nothing” About The Traffic Congestion In The Westbound I-66 Corridor

Is Simply Not Acceptable

Conclusion: For nearly 6 out of 10 (57%) commuters, “doing nothing” is their last choice for how to deal with the traffic congestion. Those who live outside the Beltway are particularly likely to say that “doing nothing” is not an option. Two-thirds of this group (66%) – or nearly 7 out of 10 – rated “doing nothing” as their last choice.

Implication: Stakeholders are receptive and ready for action to be taken regarding Westbound congestion on I-66.


#5. About Two-thirds of Stakeholders Have Received the Information They

Want Regarding Transportation Issues Along the 1-66 corridor

Conclusion: Those who live inside the Beltway are more likely to have received the information they want. And, those who believe that it is easy to travel along the Corridor are more likely to have received the information they want.

Implication: Continue to provide commuters with the information they want, targeting specific groups or areas in order to keep them aware of plans and progress and to generate their support.

Documents

Pulsar Advertising Southeastern Institute of Research 1 I-66 Corridor: Westbound Traffic Issues Within the I-495 Beltway Community Involvement Survey December