Transportation needs and issues survey

742655255Summary report.PDFTech ReportFHWA-OR-RD-08-02RS 500-161, SPR 043Public opinionSurveysOregonOregon. Dept. of Transportation. Research UnitKirk, Alan R.VanDerHyde, Vincent A.Oregon. Dept. of Transportation. Research UnitNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-SurveysNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-Public Participation and OutreachUS Transportation CollectionThe Transportation Needs and Issues Survey was conducted in October and November of 2006 by the Survey Research Center atOregon State University. The survey used a random digit dialing telephone survey method and completed a total of 1,013 interviews.The random sample was stratified by ODOT Region and contained at least 200 completed interviews per region. The statewide data wasweighted to reflect the different population sizes within each region, household non-response by region, the variable number of landlineswithin a household, the number of adults in the household, and population characteristics of gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Notablehighlights from the survey findings are as follows:\ue2\u20ac\ua2 About three-fourths of respondents statewide feel that ODOT is doing a good or excellent job overall.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Highest levels of satisfaction with transportation services are with how ODOT maintains roadside rest areas; the way the DMVprovides driver licenses and other services; and how well ODOT communicates to the public about current road construction onfreeways.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 More than 8 out of 10 respondents feel they are safe traveling in an automobile on Oregon highways.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Among those who use public transportation, about 7 out of 10 respondents feel safe using it.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 About half of all respondents statewide see congestion as a somewhat serious or very serious problem.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Spending resources to maintain the existing highways, roads and bridges in Oregon is generally seen as more important thanexpanding and improving them.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Among the various transportation modes and services, spending resources for transportation services for the elderly anddisadvantaged is seen as very important by 7 out of 10 respondents.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Spending resources on conserving and protecting clean air and water is seen as very important by 8 out of 10 respondents.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 If more funds need to be raised for transportation projects, neither raising the gas tax nor charging user tolls is widely supported. Amajority of respondents feels that tolling should only be considered in special, project-by-project situations.\ue2\u20ac\ua2 Nearly two-thirds of the respondents feel that the state should explore ways to expand passenger rail services to segments of the railsystem beyond the rail corridor between Portland, Salem, Albany and Eugene. Respondents are about evenly divided, however, onwhether the state should develop some other funding source to pay for rail passenger service