I66 Corridor Study

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DRAFT
Southeastern Institute of Research
I-66 Corridor Westbound Traffic Issues Within
the I-495 Beltway Community Involvement
Survey December 3, 2004

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Agenda

• Objectives
• II. Methodology
• III. Key Findings
• IV. Conclusions Implications

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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

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Research Objectives (cont.)

• Assess relative appeal of 4 initial concept
  categories that the Governor identified (as
  stated in Governor Warners letter dated
  September 4, 2003)
• 1. Bus or rail transit improvements
• 2. Changing the requirements for HOV
  and/or adding toll lanes
• 3. Roadway widening
• 4. Do nothing

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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

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Map of Study Area
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Methodology (cont.)

• 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

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Stakeholder View Of I-66 Westbound Corridor
Traffic
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Commuters Believe that Westbound Traffic Is
Becoming More Congested
77
Unweighted data
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.)
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Residents Both Inside and Outside the Beltway
Believe that Westbound Traffic Is Congested
69 inside and 88 outside the Beltway believe
Westbound traffic is congested.
Unweighted data
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.)
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Commuters Believe the Congestion Is the Result of
Too Many Cars and Not Enough Lanes for Westbound
Traffic
Question What do you see as the cause of the
congestion youre experiencing on either I-66
West or the other westbound roads running
parallel to it?
Only most frequent mentions are shown.
Unweighted data
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What Do Commuters Believe The Solution Should
Be?
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Assessment Approach

• 3 Ways To Assess Solutions
• 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

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

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Commuters Propose Widen/Add Lanes and Improve
Public Transportation to Resolve Traffic
Congestion(Chart shows most popular commuter
suggestions before hearing 4 alternative
solutions)
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
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• 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)

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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
Graph reports the proportion selecting each
option as first choice.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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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
Graph reports the proportion selecting each
option as first choice.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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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.
Graph reports the proportion selecting each
option as first choice.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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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.
Graph reports the proportion selecting each
option as first choice.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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The Majority Selected Do Nothing As The Least
Most Popular OptionPercent who selected Do
Nothing as their last choice (option)
Graph reports the proportion selecting each
option as fourth (last) choice.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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• 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.

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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
  options share of the grand total of points.

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There Is No Clear Cut Winner. Making Bus and/or
Rail Improvements Performs Best on the Concept
Performance Index. Doing Nothing Indexes
Least Favorably.
However, widening the road and changing HOV
requirements or adding toll lanes perform
reasonably well, also.
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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The Four Options Tested Index About the Same For
Inside and Outside the Beltway Residents
Unweighted data
Question Of all of these options, which would
you choose first which one second, which one
third and which one fourth?
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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
Only most frequent mentions are shown.
Some concern for environment
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?
Unweighted data
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Respondents Support Widening the Roadway Because
They Believe It Would Move More Cars and Increase
Traffic Flow
Only most frequent mentions are shown.
Unweighted data
Question Why do you choose roadway widening
as your first option for improving the efficiency
of traffic flow along the I-66 Corridor?
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ConclusionTransit and Roadway Widening Are The
Most Popular

• Possible Solutions
• Bus or rail transit improvements
• Changing the requirements for HOV and/or adding
  toll lanes
• Roadway widening
• Do nothing

Assessment 1
Assessment 2
Assessment 3

• Open-ended Ranking CPI

1
1
2
3
3
3
1
2
2
NA
4
4
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Commuters Expectations For Information
About Transportation Issues On I-66?
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Two-Thirds Have Received the Information They
Want Regarding Transportation Issues Along the
I-66 Corridor
However, 36 would like more information.
Unweighted data
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.)
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Those Living Inside the Beltway Are More Likely
to Have Received the Information They Want
Unweighted data
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.)
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Those Who Believe It Is Easy to Travel on
Westbound I-66 Are More Likely to Have Received
the Information They Want
Over three-fourths, 77, of those who believe it
is easy to travel on I-66 have received the
information they want.
Unweighted data
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.)
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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.
Both groups are equally receptive to receiving
information electronically.
Unweighted data
Question How would you like to be kept informed
on transportation issues regarding the I-66
Corridor? Do you want ? (Read answers.)
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5 Key Conclusions Implications
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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.

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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.
  

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3. Of Four Alternative Concepts Tested, Making
Bus and/or Rail Transit Improvements and Roadway
Widening are the Most Appealing Overall

• Conclusion 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.

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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.

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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.