City of Salem Transportation Department

Public Opinion Survey

Summary Report

August 2007

Presented By

Tim Hibbitts, Principal

Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, Inc.

203 SW Pine Street

Portland, OR 97204

www.dhmresearch.com

203 SW Pine Street, Portland OR 97204 Phone (503) 220-0575

2August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Research Goals

Quantify findings from focus group researchAssess residents’ satisfaction with transportation servicesDetermine support for transportation system improvements

3August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Research Methodology

Focus groups and citywide telephone survey conducted in August 2007400 randomly selected residents of Salem surveyedSurvey margin of Error: +/- 2.94%

4August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Direction

Don't know13%

Wrong Track 23%

Right Direction

64%

All in all, would you say that things in Salem are headed in the right direction, or are things pretty much off on the wrong track? (Q1)

5August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Biggest Community Problem

Drugs 15%

Crime 12%

Roads/Sidewalks-General 6%

Traffic 5%

Illegal Immigrants 4%

Education/Schools 3%

Graffiti 3%

Over Development/Overcrowded 3%

Growth 3%

Transportation 3%

Bridges need improvement/New Bridges

3%

All other responses 2% or less

Nothing/None/Don’t know 16%

6August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Satisfaction Levels

ItemsSatisfied(Strongly/Somewhat

)

Neither

Dissatisfied

(Somewhat/Strongly)

Mean

Operation of traffic signals

79%(7%/72%)

7%13%

(11%/2%)3.7

Signage and striping of streets

77%(6%/71%)

8% 12%(10%/2%)

3.7

Street lighting in your neighborhood

73%(10%/64%)

6% 20%(15%/5%)

3.6

Safe and convenient walking

69%(6%/63%)

7% 23%(20%/4%)

3.5

Well maintained bridges and overpasses

69%(5%/64%)

15% 12%(10%/2%)

3.6

Railroad noise 63%(8%/55%)

16% 14%(10%/4%)

3.6

7August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Satisfaction Levels (continued)

ItemsSatisfied(Strongly/Somewhat

)

Neither

Dissatisfied

(Somewhat/Strongly)

Mean

Traffic speed in your neighborhood

59%(5%/54%)

6%35%

(25%/10%)3.2

Condition of sidewalks 56%(4%/52%)

12% 31%(24%/7%)

3.2

Smoothness of streets 53%(3%/50%)

13% 33%(27%/7%)

3.2

Safe and convenient bicycling

44%(3%/41%)

13% 36%(29%/8%)

3.0

Traffic congestion 29%(1%/29%)

16% 54%(42%/12%)

2.6

Bridge capacity over Willamette River

25%(1%/24%)

10% 61%(39%/23%)

2.4

8August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Needed Improvements

ServiceTop Box(Rating of

7, 6, 5 )

Mid-Point

Bottom Box(Rating of

3, 2, 1 )

Mean

Street repair such as paving and pothole patching

60%(19%/21%/

21%)18%

22%(12%/5%/

6%)4.8

Widening streets for more travel lanes

57%(18%/17%/

23%)11% 31%

(14%/8%/10%)4.5

City bridge repair52%

(23%/10%/20%)

16% 28%(14%/8%/7%)

4.6

Bicycle lanes and signs

49%(15%/12%22%)

12%38%

(15%/11%/12%)

4.2

Sidewalk repair 48%(15%/12%21%)

16% 35%(16%/11%/8%)

4.3

Pedestrian crossings48%

(12%/12%/24%)

15%36%

(17%/10%/10%)

4.2

9August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Needed Improvements (continued)

ServiceTop Box(Rating of

7, 6, 5 )

Mid-Point

Bottom Box(Rating of

3, 2, 1 )

Mean

Bicycle and pedestrian trails

47%(16%/14%/

17%)14%

37%(15%/11%/

11%)4.2

Street lighting 42%(12%/9%/21%)

15% 43%(16%/15%/12%)

3.9

Traffic signals 37%(8%/10%/20%)

17% 45%(18%/13%/15%)

3.8

Signage and striping of streets

30%(8%/9%/13%)

18% 52%(23%/17%/13%)

3.6

Adding new streets 28%(7%/8%/13%)

13% 56%(15%/16%/26%)

3.2

10August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Needed Improvements Importance

Service CombinedFirst

Important

Second Importan

t

Street repair such as paving and pothole patching 43% 23% 21%

Widening streets for more travel lanes 33% 19% 14%

City bridge repair 27% 16% 11%

Bicycle and pedestrian trails 19% 11% 8%

Sidewalk repair 17% 8% 10%

Street lighting 15% 5% 10%

Bicycle lanes and signs 14% 5% 9%

Pedestrian crossings 13% 5% 7%

Traffic signals 9% 3% 6%

Adding new streets 7% 5% 3%

Signage and striping of streets 4% 2% 3%

11August 2007 City of Salem Department of Transportation

Observations & Conclusions—Focus Groups & Survey

No single transportation service/issue is of the biggest concernLeast satisfied with traffic congestion and bridge capacity over the Willamette RiverPriorities for improvements are Repairing roadways, bridges, and sidewalks Increasing bridge capacity Alleviating congestion with an emphasis on

widening streets rather than adding new ones Improving pedestrian safety through sidewalk

repair, dedicated bicycle lanes, etc.

Limited association with “transportation services”Sense of urgency low