FHWA 1579 Northeastern Rural Transportation Issues Survey

Northeastern Transportation Issues Survey, February 2008

Northeastern Rural

Transportation Issues Survey

February 2008

Introduction

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to participate in this New England Transportation Institute research study.

This survey asks questions about:

• the features that led you to choose your current home location, and considerations about the next home you might choose;

• the types of transportation you and your family currently use, and

• your feelings about what kind of mobility you have now and will have over the coming years.

Your answers and opinions will be of great value in understanding needs of households like yours and in planning improvements that address those needs. The results of this survey will be shared with both university researchers and managers of transportation agencies in the Northeastern States. The goal is to help policy makers to better understand the transportation needs of people in the Northeastern states. This survey is being conducted by an independent market research firm. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will NOT be associated with you in any way.

Screening questions will include:

What is your age?

1. 18 years

2. 19 to 24

3. 25 to 30

4. 31 to 50

5. 51 to 65

6. 66 to 75

7. Over 75

2) What is your gender? Male/ Female

3) Have we reached you in your primary residence, and not a “summer home” or “second home” Yes No

SECTION 1: The choice of your present location

1) When you moved from your previous home to your present home…. (Select one answer for each row.)

How important were each of these considerations when you moved from your previous home to your present home?	Extremely Important	Important	Somewhat important	Neither	Somewhat unimportant	Unimportant	Extremely Unimportant or Not Relevant
I have never moved from the house in which I was raised. (Go to next question.)
Job or school change in the household
Change in family size, marital or partner status
Affordability / taxes
Particular features of the home
Close to family, friends/other family reasons
Close to church or other place of worship
Close to job or school
Desire good schools (K-12)
Value owning my own home
Near major outdoor recreation areas
Walkable neighborhood, near local activities
Farming or gardening
Health reasons
Value having space and separation from others
Get away from urban life/value being rural
Concerns about crime or unpleasant disturbances
Other

2) Which of these phrases best describes you? (Select one answer below.) (Question for ME, NH and VT surveys only)

1. I moved to this state because I wanted to live in a rural setting

   1. How many years ago did you move to this state? (__years)

2. I moved to this state because I had to, not because I chose to

   1. How many years ago did you move to this state? (___years)

3. I moved to this rural state for other reasons

   1. How many years ago did you move to this state? (___years)

4. I was raised in a rural state, and I stay here because I like it.

5. I was raised in a rural state and I stay here because I have little choice

SECTION 2: NATURE OF YOUR CURRENT SITUATION

1. What type of residence do you currently live in? (Primary residence: not ‘second house.’)

1. House on farmland or major open space

2. A detached single family house (not on farmland or open space)

   1. Approximately what size is the lot on which your house is located? If you are unsure of the answer, please give your best estimate.

________ acre lot

3. Apartment, townhouse, or condominium

4. Dormitory or other institutional housing

5. Other (please describe): _______________________________

1. Do you own or rent your current home?

   1. Own

   2. Rent

   3. Other (please describe): _______________________________

2. If you were to move from your current home, would you prefer to own or rent your next home?

   1. Own

   2. Rent

   3. Don’t know

3. What types of homes can be found within 1/3 mile of your current home location? Please select all that apply.

   1. Detached single family homes

   2. Apartment buildings, townhouses or condominiums

   3. None of these- only farms or major open space within 1/3 mile

   4. Other (please describe): _____________________________

4. How long have you lived at your current home (primary residence) location?

_____ years

6. How many adults 18 years of age or over, including yourself, are currently living in your home?

________ adults 18 years or over

7. How many children under the age of 18 are currently living in your home?

______children under the age of 18 years

8. How many personal vehicles such as cars or trucks does your household currently own or lease?

___personal vehicles

10) Are you limited, included self limited, in your ability to drive (either day or night) by any physical condition?

1. No

2. Yes- Limited in how often or how long I can drive

3. Yes- my physical condition absolutely prevents me from driving

11) Are you limited from walking outside the home by any physical condition?

1. No

2. Yes- Limited in how often or how long I can walk

3. Yes, my physical condition absolutely prevents me from walking

12) In which ONE of the following areas do you consider your current home to be?

1. Urban

2. Suburban

3. Rural town or village

4. Rural, outside of a town or village

13) Some questions about distances – (Select one answer for each row)

	Not applicable	Less than 1/2 a mile	From 1/2 to one mile	From one to 5 miles	From 5 to 15 miles	From 15 to 30 miles	From 30 to 50 miles	More than 50 miles
What is your one-way commute distance to work or school?
What is the longest one-way commute distance to work or school of anyone in your household?
What is the approximate distance from your home to…
…the nearest store for basic needs like milk, bread and coffee
… the place where you buy most of your groceries
….the place where you buy major retail items like clothing and appliances
…the medical facility or hospital that you would use in an emergency
… a place where you can get a bus or train to Boston or New York City

	Too long	Just right	Too short	Not applicable
I feel that my distance to work or school is…
I feel that my distance to get basic food is….
I feel that my distance to get groceries is….
I feel that my distance to the larger retail stores is….
I feel that my distance to the hospital is….

14) What types of public transit are currently offered in your neighborhood? Please select all that apply.

1. No public transit currently available in my neighborhood

2. Large bus

3. Small bus

4. Bus for special purposes, like medical or senior citizen service

5. Other (please describe): ________________________________

15) If all else were equal, where would you prefer to live?

1. Big city

2. Small city

3. Suburb

4. Rural town or village

5. Rural, outside of town or village

16) How many hours a day do you spend watching television?

____hours per day

17) How many hours a day do you spend playing video games, or other games on a computer?

__ hours per day

18) How many hours a day do you spend using the Internet or responding to emails?

____hours per day

____I do not have access to the Internet

19) A few quick questions..

	Yes	No	Not applicable
Are you a licensed driver?
Would you say you drive a lot less than you used to?
Are you contemplating moving within the next five years?
Do you belong to any groups or social clubs in or near your community?
Do you belong to a gym, health club or fitness class?
Have you had a hunting or fishing license in the last two years?
Does your household own a ‘second house?’
Did you vote in the last national election?
Did you work for a candidate or party in the last national election?
In the past year, did you ever decide not to address a medical concern or keep an appointment because it was too difficult to get to the doctor or medical center?

SECTION 3: MOBILITY/ ATTRIBUTES OF CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD

1) Looking at your present neighborhood…(Select one answer for each row.)

How strongly do you agree or disagree with following statements describing your current home location?	Strongly Agree	Agree	Somewhat Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t know- or Not Applicable
My neighborhood has an adequate number of good sidewalks or walking paths
It is easy to get to a town center or other place of activity
I worry that it would be difficult to get help in case of an auto accident on my local roads
It is easy to get to a place to buy groceries near my home
I can easily get to places where people gather, like community centers, libraries or social clubs
My home has adequate room for parking two or more cars
I live within walking distance of commercial activity, like stores and places where I can get coffee or other casual meals
I have access to reliable taxi service whenever I need it
Biking in my neighborhood is safe and enjoyable
I have friends and relatives who help me get where I need to go
My home is conveniently located near to where I work or go to school.
Other people think my home and neighborhood are very nice
To get to my home, I rely on dirt roads, or narrow, winding two lane roads
I like the feeling that I am physically isolated from other residents
I worry about how long it would take police and fire to get to my home
I worry about how long it would take to get from my home to the hospital in an emergency
I worry that, in the future, I will not be able to get to medical services from where I live now
It is the government’s job to get me to the hospital, so I don’t worry about it
I feel I know my neighbors extremely well

2) Your satisfaction with the area where you live… (Select one answer for each row.)

Thinking about the area in which you live now…	Completely Satisfied	Satisfied	Somewhat Satisfied	Neither	Somewhat Unsatisfied	Unsatisfied	Completely Unsatisfied
Overall, how satisfied are you with the area where you live?
How satisfied are you with the potential for economic advancement (good jobs) in this area?
Overall, how satisfied are you with staying in your area, compared to moving to a more urban area?
Overall, how satisfied are you with your ability to get where you want to go and the time it takes you?

SECTION 4: CURRENT TRIP PATTERNS

1) Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on each of these activities?

If you are unsure of the answer, please give your best estimate. (Select one answer for each row.)

Activity	None	Less than one hour per week	1 or 2 hours per week	3 or 4 hours per week	5 or 6 hours per week	7 or 8 hours per week	More than 8 hours per week
Walk, jog or run for exercise, pleasure, or to walk the dog
Bike for exercise or pleasure
Exercise at a gym, fitness class or health club
Other physical activity, such as hiking, climbing or kayaking
Eat at a fast food restaurant
Attend meetings, movies, plays or concerts

2) For each trip purpose below, select the transportation type (e.g. car or bus) that you use most often. (Select one answer for each row.).

Purpose	Car or truck	Walk	Bike	Taxi	Bus	Other	Not applic-able
Work
School
Shop
Doctor
Restaurant, bar, entertainment
Get to park or recreation area
Family
Friends
Church/ Worship

3) For school children, (Kindergarten through 12^th grade)…

	School Bus	Car or truck	Walk	Bike	Taxi	Other	No children in house
Which type of transportation do the children in your household take to SCHOOL most often?

4) For each trip purpose below, indicate how often you got there by car, truck, motorcycle or bus. (Select one answer for each row.)

Thinking of last month, how often did you go by CAR TRUCK, MOTORCYCLE OR BUS	Never or not applicable	Less than once a month	Once per month	Several times per month	Once per week	2 to 5 times a week	Daily
Work
School
Shop
Doctor
Restaurant, bar, entertainment
Get to park or recreation area
Family
Friends
Church/ Worship

5) For each trip purpose below, indicate how often you got there by walking. (Select one answer for each row.)

Thinking of last month, how often did you WALK to…	Never or not applicable	Less than once a month	Once per month	Several times per month	Once per week	2 to 5 times a week		Daily
Work
School
Shop
Doctor
Restaurant, bar, entertainment
Get to park or recreation area
Family
Friends
Church/ Worship

6) For each trip purpose below, indicate how often you got there by bike. (Select one answer for each row.)

Thinking of last month, how often did you ride a BIKE to…	Never or not applicable	Less than once a month	Once per month	Several times per month	Once per week	2 to 5 times a week	Daily
Work
School
Shop
Doctor
Restaurant, bar, entertainment
Get to park or recreation area
Family
Friends
Church/ Worship

SECTION 5: CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT YOUR NEXT HOME LOCATION

(Select one answer for each row.)

When you think of what you would want in your next home location, how important is…	Extremely Important	Important	Somewhat important	Neither	Somewhat unimportant	Unimportant	Extremely Unimportant
Having an adequate number of sidewalks or walking paths in good, safe condition
Having a place to do my shopping reasonably near my home
Having a large lot with lots of space
Having a feeling of privacy from other people
Having adequate room for parking two or more cars
Having access to reliable taxi service whenever I need it
Having a safe and enjoyable place to ride a bike
Being close to outdoor recreational areas

Please tell us how desirable the following things would be in the choice of your next neighborhood	Extremely Desirable	Desirable	Somewhat Desirable	Neither	Somewhat Undesirable	Undesirable	Extremely Undesirable
For me, living in a neighborhood where I could exercise by walking or bicycling would be
For me, having neighbors close by and making friends with neighbors would be
For me, to live within walking distance of a town or village center with basic stores would be
For me, to live in a place where it was easier to get to essential medical services would be
For me to live closer to my job, and drive less, would be
For me, to be able to take public transportation or carpool to work or for other trips would be
For me, to always have friends and relatives who can take me places would be
For my household to get along with fewer cars would be
For me, to live in less living space in my home would be
For me, to live with a smaller lot would be…
For me, having access to places where people meet and gather would be
For me, the idea of moving away to a less rural state is

SECTION 6: MOVING TO A LOCATION WITH MORE MOBILITY

We are interested in your thoughts and opinions about moving to (or staying in) a particular type of neighborhood. This type of neighborhood is in a rural state. It might be a neighborhood in a small town, or a neighborhood in a city like Burlington VT, Manchester NH, or Portland ME. . For the purposes of this survey, we will call this type of neighborhood a “Town Center.” The “Town Center” has

• good sidewalks or walking paths;

• a mix of housing types including apartments and single family homes;

• shopping for basic needs;

• a place to get something to eat;

• access to community activities; and

• some form of bus service available.

• And it is as safe as where you live today.

Please answer each of the following questions by selecting the answer that best describes your opinion. Some of the questions may appear to be similar, but they do address somewhat different issues. Please read each question carefully.

1) Implications of a move… (Select one answer for each row.)

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?	Strongly Agree	Agree	Somewhat Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree
I feel that my present neighborhood already has all these characteristics (Go to next question.)
If I moved to a Town Center I would get more exercise by walking or bicycling
If I moved to a Town Center I would make friends with more of my neighbors
If I moved to a Town Center, I would have less living space
If I moved to a Town Center it would be easy for me to get to stores, restaurants, and other activities
If I moved to a Town Center, I would have a lot less privacy
If I moved to a Town Center it would be easy for me to get myself to medical facilities, like a major hospital
If I moved to a Town Center, it would be easier for friends and relatives to take me places (like to medical services)
If I moved to a Town Center, there would be more noise and disturbance on the street
If I moved to a Town Center, I would go to a place where people can gather and meet (like a club or community center)
If I moved to a Town Center, my household could own fewer cars
How likely are the following?	Very Likely	Likely	Somewhat Likely	Neither	Somewhat Unlikely	Unlikely	Very Unlikely
How likely is it that you could get by with fewer household cars in the coming year if you were to move to a Town Center?
How likely is it that you could find an affordable home in or near a Town Center?
How likely is it that you could get by with less living space in the coming year if you were to move to a Town Center?
How likely is it that you could get by with a smaller lot in the coming year if you were to move to a Town Center?
How likely is it that people who are important to you think that you should move to a Town Center?
I plan to move to a Town Center in the next five years?

How true are the following statements?	Very True	True	Somewhat True	Neither	Somewhat False	False	Definitely False
Most of the people who are important to me live or would like to live in a Town Center
Most people whose opinions I value would approve of me moving to a Town Center in the next five years
I am confident that if I wanted to I could move to a Town Center in the next five years
I would like to live closer to my work or school
The cost of housing makes it difficult to move closer to my work or school
I intend to move to a less isolated area in the next five years
In the coming year, I would like to try to drive less and use less gasoline

3) For me to move to a Town Center in the next five years would be

Extremely desirable: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7: extremely undesirable

4) I will make an effort to move to a Town Center in the next five years

I definitely will 1 2 3 4 5 6 7: I definitely will not

5) For me to move to a Town Center in the next five years would be

Possible: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 : impossible

6) For me to move to a somewhat less isolated area in the next five years would be

Extremely desirable: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7: extremely undesirable

SECTION 7: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS (Select one answer for each row.)

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?	Strongly Agree	Agree	Somewhat Agree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree
It would be hard for me to reduce my auto mileage and use of gasoline
I am concerned about global warming and/or climate change
I would like to explore strange places
I love the freedom and independence that owning several cars provides for my household
I think I am wasting too much time driving
I think I should spend more time walking, just to be healthier
I need to drive my car to get where I need to go
I feel that biking is too dangerous
I’d be willing to drive less to improve the environment and reduce my use of foreign oil.
I like new and exciting experiences, even if I have to break the rules
I really enjoy driving and don’t want to minimize it
I think there is more chance for economic advancement in a more urban state
I prefer friends who are exciting and unpredictable
I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort
I can usually handle whatever comes my way
It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals
I feel there is not enough time to do what I have to do
I like to do frightening things
I think that people are fair, helpful and can be trusted
Sometimes I feel that I am trapped in this place and cannot move away
	All the time	Nearly all the time	Frequently	Occasionally	Seldom	Almost never	Never
How often do you do dangerous things for fun?
How often do you do exciting things, even if they are dangerous?

1) In the last ten years, how many traffic tickets for moving traffic offenses have you received as a driver? (excluding parking tickets)

1. None

2. One

3. Two

4. Three

5. Four

6. Five or more

2) What is your marital status?

1. Single, separated , divorced or widowed

2. Married or with partner

3). Completed education level?

1. Less than high school diploma

2. High school diploma or equivalency

3. Some college, no degree

4. Associate degree

5. Bachelor’s degree or above

4) What is your current employment status?

1. Agriculture, farming, forestry, mining

2. Professional services/ managerial

3. Manufacturing/ transportation

4. Construction, carpentry

5. Work in an office, supporting others

6. Sales, retail

7. Retired

8. Not currently employed

9. Other

5) What is your annual household income? If you are unsure of the answer, please give your best estimate.

1. Under $25,000

2. $25,000 - $50,00

3. $50,000 - $100,000

4. $100,000 - $200,000

5. More than $200,000

6 What is your height? (If you do not know exactly, give your best estimate)

____Feet and _____Inches;

7) What is your weight? (If you do not know exactly, give your best estimate)

_______Pounds

Thanks for your help in this important project! Your cooperation will help to improve the understanding of the transportation needs of citizens of the rural states of the Northeast!

Form FHWA-1579 (3-2008) 15