D.C.: Survey shows most people want more transit, walkable places

[marmar]

Survey shows most people want more transit, walkable places
by Dan Reed • August 26, 2013 11:55 am


In many communities around Greater Washington, attempts to improve transit, accommodate walkers and bicyclists or do infill development are often controversial. But a new survey suggests that public support for these and other measures is high in both urban and suburban areas.

Over the past 2 years, the Transportation Planning Board, which coordinates road and transit planning efforts across the DC area, has identified ways to improve the region's transportation network to support future growth. As part of the process for creating the Regional Transportation Priorities Plan, TPB surveyed area residents on what transportation issues mattered to them.

TPB mailed out 10,000 inquiries to randomly selected addresses across their planning area, which includes 13 cities and counties in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The agency received 660 responses, and the results are surprising.



First, TPB gave survey respondents a list of 14 transportation challenges in the region and asked them to rate each one's significance on a scale of 1 to 5. The top four responses were transit crowding, repairing Metro, roadway congestion, and road repair needs. Respondents gave each of those issues an average score of 4 or higher. ........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/19975/survey-shows-most-people-want-more-transit-walkable-places/

[SheilaT]

1. Yep. I currently live in Santa Fe,

which is a perfectly nice place but other than around the Plaza not particularly walkable and public transportation leaves a lot to desire. Eventually I will move somewhere else, and I want good public transportation number one. That seems to often go hand-in-hand with walkability.

[nxylas]

2. I bet you'd get similar results pretty much anywhere

I often wonder how representative the vocal "I don't want my tax dollars being used to move Those People around" crowd really are.

[Blanks]

3. I'm disappointed that more people aren't interested in this.

I live within a reasonable bike distance from town, but there isn't a safe path that I could walk or ride.

When I was in Germany in the early 80's I went on a few volksmarches - basically you just go follow a walking path. I used to ride the strassenbahn to a stop that was close to the laundromat and then use a little cart to haul my laundry to and from the laundromat.

There's no excuse for our lack of interest in pedestrian traffic in this country. It is unwittingly (perhaps intentionally) supporting the automobile industry while making a population of people who are already not active enough - even less active by design.