Volpe National Transportation Systems Center: 2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
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Transcript of Volpe National Transportation Systems Center: 2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center:2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
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Refresher of UPA/CRD Programs
Overview of the 2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
Seattle
Preliminary Study Results
Next Steps
Conclusions
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Refresher: Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA)
Mid 2006: U.S. DOT Congestion Initiative announced
U.S DOT is forming Urban Partnership Agreements (UPA) to fund select cities and regions to implement:
“A comprehensive, integrated approach to reducing congestion through the use of tolling, transit, technology, and telecommuting”
In short, a new nationally funded road pricing program:
Funding: Requires an urban partnership
Goal: Have a “meaningful” impact on traffic congestion
August 2007: 4 Urban Partners announced
Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, San Francisco, & Seattle
Initial total of $853 million in Federal discretionary grants from 10 U.S. DOT sources. Mostly authorized for FY ‘07-09
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Refresher: Congestion Reduction Demonstration (CRD)
CRD is a separate and distinct follow-on program
In 2008, 2 new CRD urban areas announced:
Los Angeles ($213 million)
Atlanta ($110 million)
TTI’s annual Urban Mobility Report says in 2009:
Seattle AtlantaCongested Travel (As Percent of Peak VMT)
64% 74%
Annual Hours of Delay (Per Auto Commuter)
44 hours 44 hours
Annual Congestion Cost (Per Auto Commuter)
$1,056 $1,046
Annual Excess Fuel Consumed(Per Auto Commuter)
35 Gallons 35 Gallons
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Seattle: SR 520 Floating Bridge
Opened 1963, tolled until 1979
World’s longest floating bridge: 1.4 miles
Design capacity: 65,000 vehicles per day, current AADT: 115,000
Heavily congested, no shoulders
Vulnerable to windstorms/earthquakes, closed several times per year
2014 is targetdate for opening of newreplacement bridge
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Seattle: Variable Pricing on SR-520 Floating Bridge
Active Traffic Management (ATM) - New dynamic message signs being installed
Real-time Traveler Information signs – display info about travel times and which route to travel
Late June 2011 – Variable tolling expected to begin on SR-520
Tolling in both directions
Toll range – up to $3.50 with Good To Go! and up to $5.00 paying by mail
Adding 130 new bus trips to the existing 600 daily bus trips across SR-520
45 new hybrid-electric diesel buses for trips across the Lake
Improving stops/stations – 2 park/ride lots, real-time info displays
Implementation and support of employer and community trip reduction programs
Vanpools, ride-share programs
Marketing and outreach incentive programs
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The National Evaluation (Battelle Memorial Institute)
Is it working? How do we know?
UPA/CRD programs must evaluate their own effectiveness
Measure benefits, impacts, and value of each UPA/CRD site’s approach to congestion reduction
Battelle is collecting “before” and “after” data for each urban area (2009-2012 or longer). Data collection is quarterly
Standard engineering measures of network performance – traffic volumes, vehicle occupancy, travel times, delay, travel speeds, etc.
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Refresher of UPA/CRD Programs
Overview of the 2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
Seattle
Preliminary Study Results
Next Steps
Conclusions
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Volpe Traveler Behavior Study: Goals
Volpe seeking to understand
The changes in travel behavior that occur as a result of road pricing strategies
Behavioral responses which likely vary based on type and location of pricing – hence 2 cities (Seattle & Atlanta)
Behavioral responses that vary across groups within the population (particular focus on low-income households)
Summary
Battelle trying to answer the What?
What are the changes? (Travel times, volumes, etc)
We’re trying to answer the How and Why?
How are individual travelers and households making more “economic” choices? Why are they making these travel choices?
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No Change: Pay toll
Change Time:
Earlier or Later
Change Mode:
Carpool
Change Route: Drive I-
90
Change Mode: Take bus
What are the potential behavioral responses to tolling SR 520?
Potential Traveler Responses to Pricing
Change Destinatio
n
Don’t Make Trip
Reduce Trip
Frequency
Considerable variation in response to pricing among individuals• Affected by: household incomes, locations,
trip patterns, travel purposes• Regional differences can also be
pronounced• Observationally random differences in
behavior
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Volpe Traveler Behavior Study: Scope of Research
Household Panel Study
Survey same households before and after road pricing
2-day travel diary (log all trips) completed by all adult (18+) household members
Includes additional survey questions on typical commute behavior, tele-work behavior, attitudes/values, ITS, etc.
Methodology (by City)
Population Recruit MethodHouseholds Who
Complete Before & After Surveys
Auto Travelers
License Plate Capture during peak w/match to registered home
address1300
Transit Users
Direct Intercept (bus stops, Park/Rides, on-board buses)
200Vanpoolers
Email Recruit to vanpool members
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Refresher of UPA/CRD Programs
Overview of the 2010-2012 Traveler Behavior Study
Seattle
Preliminary Study Results
Next Steps
Conclusions
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“Before” Seattle Data Collection is Complete
November 2010 - 4 sets of travel dates (Piloted in Sept 2010)
Basic Results
- 3,328 total households*- 2,883 auto households- 393 transit households - 52 vanpool households
- 6,309 individuals- 3,029 men- 3,280 women
- 45,819 trips- 11,920 trips across/around Lake Washington - 5,522 auto trips across SR-520
*A participating household is defined as one where all adult members (18+) completed every question in the two diary day questionnaires
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Basic Trip Statistics
Reported Time of Day that the Trip Began
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Traveler Information Sources
Information was consulted for 45% of all trips across/around Lake Washington
*Percentages do not add to 45% because multiple responses were allowed
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General Attitudes and Attitudes Toward Tolling
Asked of all 6309 adults
Strongly Disagree
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
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Satisfaction with Auto Trips Crossing Lake WA
Respondents reported their level of satisfaction for auto trips across Lake Washington (n=9261 trips)
Very Dissatisfied
Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Satisfied
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Satisfaction with Transit Trips Crossing Lake WA
Respondents reported their level of satisfaction for their transit trips across Lake Washington (n=1763 trips)
Very Dissatisfied
Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Satisfied
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Sample Composition
Evaluate – Household Characteristics of Sample
Compare to previous studies (2009 SR-520 OD Study, 2006 PSRC Household Study)
Compare to census data and ancillary data sources
Within sample – non-responding households to sample, etc.
Initial Conclusions – Meeting project object to obtain sample that matches the composition of households that cross Lake WA during the peak
Annual Household Income
Auto sample: Completes
N=2883
Ancillary Data(All invited auto HHs)
N=26,114
King County (Census)
SR-520 OD Survey (Dec. 2009)
N=1749
Under 50K 14% 12% 36% 14%
50-99.9K 33% 40% 32% 29%
100-200K 40% 31% 25% 41%
More than 200K 13% 13% 8% 16%
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Next Steps in Seattle
Panel Maintenance – Ongoing communications to share data and maintain household engagement
Monitoring Tolling Implementation
Possible Focus Groups - Explore pricing responses; motivations; differences from expectations
Conduct “After” Data Collection
Refield same survey to same households in November 2011
Add new questions about behavior changes (and reasons why) since pricing implementation
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Conclusions
General Project Learnings:
When using existing survey methods for new purposes take the extra time to educate all stakeholders
Stay flexible! Nothing you can do about (significant) tolling delays in both cities (Seattle and Atlanta)
Our methodology and panel approach affords labor efficiencies and allows for the needed flexibility
Most importantly – maintain focus on key project objectives (and your analysis plan) at all times!
Everyone on the project team must maintain this focus
Many stakeholders (in both cities) want prompt access to results and a say in what questions to ask (“before” and “after”)
Travel behavior WILL be significantly impacted due to tolling - but our job is to capture the behavior responses – and the variation within it
Stay tuned for 2013 TRB Planning Applications Conference for results…..
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Questions? Chicago Vermont
Utah
Elizabeth GreeneThomas AdlerResource Systems Group, [email protected](802) 295-4999
Jane LappinMargaret PetrellaSean PeirceVolpe National Transportation Systems [email protected](617) 494-3692
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Thanks also to staff at: PSRC, King County, WSDOT, FHWA, WSDOL, Community Transit