1024-0224 Programmatic Form for GOGA

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Social Science Program

OMB Control Number 1024-0224
Current Expiration Date:8-31-2014

Programmatic Approval for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys
1.
2.

Project Title: Alcatraz Ferry Embarkation EIS Visitor Study

Submission Date

4/26/12

Abstract: This collection is needed to provide information about the potential impacts of the
ferry embarkation site alternatives for primary ferry service between the northern
San Francisco waterfront and Alcatraz Island and ferry services to Sausalito with
connecting shuttle service to Muir Woods. An on-site survey will be used to collect
information from current visitors to forecast travel demand to the current Alcatraz
ferry embarkation site and to potential ferry embarkation site locations at
Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason, as well as the likelihood that visitors to Muir
Woods would be willing to use ferry service from each of the
(not to exceed 150 words)

3.

Principal Investigator Contact Information
First Name:
Title:
Affiliation:
Street Address:
City:
Phone:
Email:

4.

Katie
Last Name: Chamberlin
Managing Planner
Anchor QEA, L.P.
130 Battery Street, Suite 400
San Francisco
State: CA
Zip code: 94111
(415) 230-0862
Fax: (206) 287-9131
[email protected]

Park or Program Liaison Contact Information
First Name:
Title:
Park:
Street Address:
City:
Phone:
Email:

Patricia
Last Name: Sacks
Project Manager/Landscape Architect
Denver Service Center Transportation Division
12795 W. Alameda Parkway
Lakewood
State: CO
Zip code: 80228
(303) 969-2431
Fax: (303) 969-2930
[email protected]

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Project Information
5. Park(s) For Which Research is to be Conducted:
6. Survey Dates:

07/28/12

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GOGA) -Alcatraz Island
TO

08/05/12

7. Type of Information Collection Instrument (Check ALL that Apply)

8.

Mail-Back
Questionnaire
Other (explain)

On-Site

Survey Justification:
(Use as much space
as needed; if
necessary include
additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

Social science research in support of park planning and management is
mandated in the NPS Management Policies 2006 (Section 8.11.1, “Social
Science Studies”). The NPS pursues a policy that facilitates social science studies
in support of the NPS mission to protect resources and enhance the enjoyment
of present and future generations (National Park Service Act of 1916, 38 Stat
535, 16 USC 1, et seq.). NPS policy mandates that social science research will be
used to provide an understanding of park visitors, the non-visiting public,
gateway communities and regions, and human interactions with park
resources. Such studies are needed to provide a scientific basis for park
planning, development.

Questionnaire

Face-to-Face
Interview

Telephone
Survey

Focus Groups

The National Park Service (NPS) is currently conducting a study to identify a
long-term Alcatraz ferry embarkation site along the northern San Francisco
waterfront. The new location will provide a more sustainable, stable, and
visible embarkation area for the Alcatraz ferry and will allow NPS to provide
more permanent user facilities and amenities as well as interpretive exhibits.
The embarkation site could also potentially be used for ferry service to
Sausalito with connecting shuttle service to Muir Woods.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to analyze the ferry
embarkation site alternatives under consideration in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The means of access for visitors
coming to and from the ferry embarkation site may have a significant effect on
the surrounding area, especially in terms of increased traffic, transit use, and
demand for parking. The EIS is expected to be completed by 2014, with a draft
EIS anticipated in summer 2013. The location of the embarkation site may also
have an impact on the level of ferry ridership to Sausalito/Muir Woods, which
may, in turn, affect the feasibility of operating such service.
The lease for the current Alcatraz ferry embarkation site, located at Pier 31½,
expires in 2016. Therefore, selection and construction of the new ferry
embarkation site must be completed by the end of 2015 in order for the new
terminal to be operational by 2016. The EIS must be complete before site
selection can be confirmed. As such, conducting this survey in the summer of
2012 is critical to ensure that there is sufficient time to analyze survey results
and complete the EIS within the set timeframe.
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A survey will be used to gather information about visitors’ travel choices on
the day of their visit and stated preference information on how those choices
may differ in the future if the site were relocated. This information will be used
to determine the breakdown of transportation modes used to access each of
the site alternatives, which will be used for site planning feasibility exercises
and the EIS.
The survey will also be used to gather information to estimate ferry ridership
(from Sausalito with connecting shuttle service to Muir Woods) and how this
ridership might vary depending on the location of the proposed new
embarkation site.
9.

Survey
Methodology: (Use
as much space as
needed; if
necessary include
additional
explanation on a
separate page.)

(a) Respondent Universe:

The respondent universe for this survey consists of adult visitors (18 years and
older) traveling to Alcatraz Island via Pier 31½ (approximately 5,000 per day)
and Fisherman’s Wharf (approximately 63,000 per day).

(b) Sampling Plan/Procedures:

An on-site survey will be conducted at two locations to assess travel behavior
specific to each location:—
1. the current ferry embarkation sites at Pier 31½ and Fisherman’s
Wharf,
2. the location of two potential ferry embarkation site alternatives
The survey sampling period will run from July 28 through August 5, 2012, this
will include 5 week days and 4 weekend days. Visitors will be intercepted as
they enter or exit the current and proposed ferry embarkation sites. During the
sampling period, two surveyors will be situated at each location, conducting
surveys for 8 hours per day (9AM-5PM).
On each sampling day, two trained surveyors will be stationed at each
sampling location during the assigned sampling time. When the sampling
period begins, the surveyors at each sampling location will approach the first
visitor group entering or exiting the study area and ask them to participate in
the survey. If members of the visitor group agree to participate, the eligible
person (18 years of age or older) in the group whose birthday is closest to the
sampling day will be asked to complete the questionnaire.
When the surveyor has completed his/her contact with the group, the
surveyor will ask the next visitor group entering, exiting, or waiting in line in
the study area to participate in the survey. This process will continue
throughout the sampling period. Visitors will be asked to complete the
questionnaire on-site in the presence of the surveyors. Those who refuse to fill
out the survey on-site will be considered a “refusal.”
Each surveyor is expected to approach an average of 10 potential respondents
per hour for a total of 160 potential respondents per day, per site. A total of
1,600 potential respondents are anticipated to be contacted on week days and
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1,280 on weekends between the two sites, for an overall total of 2,880 visitors
contacted on-site.

(c) Instrument Administration:

The two surveyors will be stationed at different sides of each study area. Each
surveyor will ask the first group entering or exiting the study area in their
direction to participate in the survey. When each surveyor has completed
his/her contact with the group, the surveyor will always ask the next visitor
group entering, exiting, or waiting in line in the study area that has not already
been approached by the other surveyor. Visitors selected for participation in
the survey will be read the following script:

“Hello, my name is _________. I am conducting a survey for the
National Park Service to better understand your use of this
[embarkation site/potential embarkation site]. Your participation
is voluntary and all the responses will be kept anonymous. Would
you be willing to answer some important questions regarding
your visit here? This should take about 10 minutes.”
If YES – ask, “Has any member of your group been asked to participate
in this survey before today?”
If “YES” (already asked to participate) then, “Thank you for
participating in this study. Have a great day.”
If “NO” (has not been previously asked to participate but is
willing to accept the survey) then, “Thank you. Who in your group
(at least 18 years old) has the next birthday?”
If NO (soft refusal) – ask them if they would be willing to answer the
non-response bias questions (listed below) and then thank them for their
time.
1.
2.
3.

How many people are in your [personal, organized, tour] group,
including you?
Where do you live?
On this visit, which forms of transportation did you and your personal
group use to arrive here (i.e., the existing Alcatraz ferry embarkation
site or Fisherman’s Wharf, depending on the survey location)?

Record responses in spaces provided on the survey.
If NO (hard refusal) – end the contact and thank them for their time.

The visitors that agree to participate will be asked to complete the
questionnaire on-site.

(d) Expected Response Rate/Confidence Levels:

The total estimated number of visitors contacted will be 2,880. Based on
completion rates of a similar visitor intercept survey, it is expected that about
50% of visitors (n = 1,440) will be willing to participate and complete the
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survey. With this rate, a total of 400 week day surveys and 320 weekend
surveys would be completed at each site, for a grand total of 1,440 completed
surveys. Considering the sample universe of each survey, this completion rate
will produce a margin of error of less than 6% and a confidence level of above
95% for each site on both week days and weekends. See the following table.

Location
Alcatraz Island
(Weekday)
Alcatraz Island
(Weekend)
Fisherman’s Wharf
(Weekday)
Fisherman’s Wharf
(Weekend)
Total

Number
of Initial
Contacts

Expected
Response
Rate

Expected
Number of
Responses

Margin of
Error +/- %

800

50%

400

<5%

640

50%

320

5.3%

800

50%

400

<5%

640

50%

320

5.5%

2,880

1,440

(e) Strategies for dealing with potential non-response bias:

The response rate of the three non-response bias questions (listed above in
Section 9[c]) will be compared to the response rate of those who completed
the survey. If the response rates are similar, only surveys in which the
respondent answered all of the questions will be included and the results will
not be adjusted. If the results between the two samples vary, a weight will be
determined to account for the response bias to weigh the responses
accordingly. Any implications for management decisions based on the results
of the non-response analysis will be reported.

(f) Description of any pre-testing and peer review of the methods and/or
instrument (recommended):
The survey instrument has been be reviewed by Fehr & Peers; Anchor QEA,
L.P.; and NPS. The survey has been pre-tested by Fehr & Peers staff.
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Burden Estimates: We plan to approach at least 2,880 individuals during the sampling period.
With an anticipated response rate of 50%, we expect to receive 1,440 total
responses during this collection.
We expect that the initial contact time will be less than 1 minute per
person (2,880 people x 1 minute = 48 hours). We expect that 1,440 visitors
(50%) will refuse to participate during the initial on-site contact. For these
individuals, we will record their reason for refusal and ask them to answer
the three questions that will be used for the non-response check. Each
session is estimated to take no more than 2 minutes (1,440 people x 2
minutes = 48 hours) to complete.
For those who agree to participate (n = 1,440), we expect that all will
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complete the survey, which will take approximately 10 minutes (1,440
people x 10 minutes = 240 hours). The total burden for this collection is
estimated to be 336 hours.

11.

Estimated Number of Contacts
Total Number of Initial
2,880
Contacts

Estimation of Time
Estimated Time (mins.) to
Complete Initial Contact

Total Number of
Responses

Time to complete and
return surveys

1,440

2

Estimation of Respondent Burden
Estimated Burden Hours
96

10

Estimated Burden Hours
Total Burden

240
336

Reporting Plan: A summary memorandum that outlines the survey methodology and results will
be prepared.
A copy of the final summary will be submitted to NPS’ Social Science Division for
inclusion in the Social Science Studies Collection as required by the
Programmatic Approval Process.

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