Good Afternoon,
In an effort to get a better understanding of the Region’s demand for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, our Mobility Team has created a one question survey for use in developing the Mobility 2035 Plan. The survey can be found here. Please take a moment to provide us with your feedback. It takes less than 1 minute to complete, and your participation will help shape the long term goals and objectives for the Region’s bicycle and pedestrian system. We will be discussing the Mobility 2035 Plan in more detail at our next Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting on May 19, 2010. More details on this meeting will be sent out in the coming weeks.
Thank you in advance for your participation.
Regards,
Deborah Humphreys
Transportation Planner | Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
North Central Texas Council of Governments
616 Six Flags Drive | Arlington, TX 76011
Direct: (817) 608-2394
Fax: (817) 640-3028
dhumphreys@nctcog.org
Remember, honesty is the best policy, so be truthful.
13 comments:
Is this how the decision will be made? A single question poll?
Hmmm. How do they prevent ballot-box stuffing????
I think the wording itself is also too vague to give anyone an idea about just what it is that they're proposing!
Thanks for posting this, PM. I think it merits discussion – not only the specious nature of a one question survey, but the quality and predetermined outcome the choices will generate.
Here is the question:
"If more bicycle and pedestrian facilities became available, in what ways would you primarily use them?"
The possible responses are:
• For recreation and/or physical wellness
• For work commute
• For other non-work related travel
• I would not use this type of facility
• Other, please specify (with free-form field)
When I completed this survey on Friday, the distribution was as follows:
• For recreation and/or physical wellness — 86%
• For work commute — 33%
• For other non-work related travel — 41%
• I would not use this type of facility — 02%
• Other, please specify — 06%
(n=66)
As of 15:35, today (20100419), the results indicate:
• For recreation and/or physical wellness — 82%
• For work commute — 35%
• For other non-work related travel — 34%
• I would not use this type of facility — 06%
• Other, please specify — 05%
(n=255)
Notable to me is how consistent the distribution has remained, despite a nearly 4-fold increase is responses.
No qualification is given as to whether these will be on-street facilities or MUPs and other separated bikeways. Even so, the predominant use is indicated to be recreation.
As a reminder, we are in a non-attainment region. Therefore, the needed utilization is as a transportation alternative, not as a recreational facility. Further fodder for my perennial belief that, despite was politicians and infearior cyclists profess, facilities WILL NOT encourage more transportation cycling.
Richard makes an excellent point, as well. How was I to get comparison results? I completed the survey a second time. With the verified potential for fraud, this data is meaningless.
It is nothing more than feel good politics.
Heather said...
"Is this how the decision will be made? A single question poll?"
Good question, but one I can't answer. However, it is consistent with current trends in all or nothing plans for bicycle transportation. No questions about bicycle parking, street standards, education, enforcement, or other incentives. Just segregated facilities that can never serve enough people or places to make a difference in low-density environments... while underscoring the idea that you have to have segregation in order to have bicycles.
And so it goes.
P.S. Heather, have you signed up for Traffic Skills 101 yet? Hint, hint. ;-)
Hmmm, one-question-minute poll for long term goals. Yep, sounds sufficient for public participation.
MPO will probably hire some "national experts" to dissect the results and detail what people really want.
Is it just me or is nctcog.org down?
Weird, it seems they are blocking my IP Address. Site works through the VPN.
The distribution of responses is still the same when I took it tonight. May be a bit of a difference in category 4, since the beginning?
For recreation and/or physical wellness 80%
For work commute 36%
For other non-work related travel 35%
I would not use this type of facility 7%
Other 6%
Total Respondents 272
I wonder why only one question to gather data.
Peace :)
BTW: You may make multiple answers.
Blogger Heather said...
"Is this how the decision will be made? A single question poll?"
I would suggest the question has already been answered, and this poll is meant to justify that answer... right or wrong.
I agree with PM, this is an after-the-fact gathering of data to be used to justify the existing approach to biking in Dallas. But anyone with two brain cells can tell that the data proves nothing except that people like to ride bikes for fun. ...Shocking!
Whareagle - how many peeps are signed up for the class thus-far?
The notorious (and possibly crazy) ChipSeal will be at the Traffic Skill 101 class. And even though he has spent many hours in traffic, he expects to to learn new things.
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