HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole March 18 2008 pmWHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Special Committee Of The Whole
March 18, 2008
Council Vice -Chair Seth Fleetwood called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. in the
Council Conference Room, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Absent:
Barbara Brenner Bob Kelly
Sam Crawford
Carl Weimer
Laurie Caskey- Schreiber
L. Ward Nelson
1. PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF AN IN -DEPTH MOBILITY SURVEY
(AB2008 -017)
Susan Horst, Whatcom Council of Governments Community Transportation Program
Manager, stated she runs the Smart Trips and Commute Trip Reduction programs for the
Council of Governments. The Council of Governments contracted with Socialdata America
last year to do an in -depth mobility survey that looks into how people travel around in the
region, which includes Bellingham and its surrounding area.
Socialdata America has done transportation research in cities around the world. The
Council of Governments worked with Socialdata America in 2004 on an individualized
marketing pilot project, which included a before - and -after survey of travel behaviors.
"rhat's how the Council of Governments learned about the Socialdata America in -depth
mobility survey. She introduced Socialdata America's Managing Director, Werner Brog, who
will present a small subset of the data. They are very fortunate to have this comprehensive
data, which is unusual for any city in the United States to have.
They are learning how to use the data properly this week and during a future visit.
Transportation engineers, planners, and educators from the County and City of Bellingham
are invited to attend events regarding this information.
Werner Brog, Socialdata America, submitted a handout (on file). He will present
information on project design, mobility in this area, how people locally use their cars,
personal attitudes about car use, and the possibilities for reducing car travel and changing
individual behaviors.
He read from the handout on the Bellingham Showcase and explained the project
design. The project design included three parts: mobility behavior, attitudes and
perceptions, and potentials to reduce car driver trips. He described the techniques used to
gather information, including a survey, telephone interviews, and face -to -face household
interviews.
Special Committee of the Whole- Mobility Survey Results, 3/18/2008, Page 1
1 He read the handout. He surveyed people across all social and economic
2 demographics about their travel seven days per week. Car use is extremely high. A trip is
3 defined as going from one point to another point. For instance, going to work and then
4 home is considered two trips. Stopping at the grocery on the way home would be three
5 trips. The results were drawn from a random survey of 7,500 people throughout the region
6 of Bellingham and Bellingham's surrounding area. On short trips, very little time is gained
7 by using a car instead of other modes of transportation, including walking, bicycling, and
8 public transportation. In terms of policies and planning, a clear majority of people want to
9 give preferential treatment to developing environmentally - friendly modes of transportation.
10 There are six categories that include 40 variables on the reasons people choose to make car
11 trips. The categories are: constraints; objective choice of alternative modes; information
12 about alternative modes; evaluation and perception of time, costs, and comfort; .subjective
13 disposition of individuals, and; the use of alternative modes objectively and subjectively.
14 Subjective perceptions are never correct. For instance, people overestimate the public
15 transport travel time by about 60 percent. Travel time by car is .underestimated by 25
16 percent.
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18 (Clerk's Note: End of tape one, side A.)
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20 Brog continued to read from the handout on mode choice, consistencies on three
21 continents, car trips per year, and potentials for change. Changes in mode choice from
22 2004 to 2007 are clearly sustained. People in cities round the world have made mode
23 changes to reduce car mileage, up to 16 percent fewer trips. To reduce Bellingham car trips
24 per year by 16 percent, residents would have to make only two fewer trips per week. That
25 is one roundtrip per week using an alternate mode of transportation. The first priority is to
26 not lose any more alternative modes and uses than they have now. There is potential for
27 change. It's a question of finding the right measures.
28
29 Fleetwood asked how they use this information in policy- making and land use
30 decisions. They are beginning to have traffic jams in certain parts of Bellingham that have
31 never experienced that before. He asked how a 16 percent reduction would affect traffic
32 jams. Brog stated that 15 percent is a reduction big enough that people will see it and feel
33 it. Even eight or 11 percent reduction is a lot. Transportation planners often aim for a two
34 or three percent reduction. A modest beginning will develop momentum. People will realize
35 they can do other things.
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37 Fleetwood asked the best way to begin. Br6g stated start with soft policies to
38 change peoples' minds about transportation. Improving infrastructure would be a hard
39 policy. Begin with a combination of the two. Help people to change their choices, and also
40 improve the system where needed.
41
42 Caskey- Schreiber stated she recently visited Paris, France, which allows motorcycles
43 to travel between car lanes, which seems crazy, but works fine. It would motivate people to
44 use that mode of transportation.
45
46 Crawford stated he agrees that getting people to make changes is mostly a mental
47 thing. Given education and more options, it would be great. He would have to have his
48 mind changed about the inconvenience of riding the bus. He would like to hear how riding
49 the bus would make sense for him based on where he lives and where he goes. There is
50 not a bus stop within a mile or two of where he lives. Of all the local problems, traffic is low
51 on his priority list. Other things are more important. However, the Smart Trips program
52 has been a success by raising user awareness. Brog stated people living outside the city
Special Committee of the Whole- Mobility Survey Results, 3/18/2008, Page 2
could drive a car to the city, and then use public transportation to get around once inside
the city. Another option is to bicycle or walk to the bus stop to get exercise.
Weimer stated it seems that face -to -face education produces a big return. He asked
if data on the cost of face -to -face education and whether it offsets the cost of infrastructure.
Br6g stated there was a project in Portland, which introduced a new light rail line that
included an individualized marketing project. They generated 20 public transportation trips
per person, per year. Within one year, the revenue from public ridership paid for the public
outreach. They can also take into account cost benefits to the environment and other
factors. The standard cost - benefit ratio of public outreach is from 1 -30 and 1 -60 or more.
That is enormous. Locally, the benefits of a big project would pay for the public outreach
costs in three or four years. The public outreach project doubled the demand for the
Portland light rail project.
Caskey- Schreiber stated there may be an alternative to buying a new ferry for
Lummi Island. They may be able to do education and change behaviors, and save a lot of
money. She appreciates the presentation. Br6g stated that if the County develops
infrastructure, it should also do public outreach to change behaviors.
Weimer asked if rising fuel prices changes the types of trips or just the type of cars
people drive. Br6g stated the changes are the same. Many people say that they hope
higher gas prices will significantly reduce car traffic, but that's not his experience in the
United States.
Fleetwood asked what the Council of Governments plans to do with this information.
Horst stated that as an educator, she will find people who are uninformed and not
motivated, and will focus her energy on those people. The Whatcom Transportation
Authority wants to know about those areas of the city with excellent service and people who
aren't aware of that service or aren't motivated to use it. That is something they can work
on right away with the Smart Trips program. There are also areas in the city that aren't
served well, and the Whatcom Transportation Authority should prioritize their investments
based on those areas. That is data they are eager to get.
The Council of Governments' Smart Trips program is an ongoing program to provide
education, assistance, and motivation to people. However, she has to wait until people find
out about the Smart Trips program. The program is less than two years old, and more than
6,000 people are members. A large, individualized marketing project will go directly to the
people, find out who is interested, and provide assistance to those people who are
interested but not yet using the system. Using this technique, she can find those people
and go to them, rather than wait for them to find her. This individualized marketing survey
is a permanent, durable technique. The Smart Trips program and this technique are an
excellent combination. This program is a one -time investment for a large area. They don't
have that funding yet, but are looking for it from wherever they can find it. The cost is $20
per survey person. She would like to survey all of Bellingham, but they can target areas of
the city where it would be most effective. Her original request was $1.5 million. She scaled
that back so as not to frighten people off. The request now is $750,000.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
Special Committee of the Whole- Mobility Survey Results, 3/18/2008, Page 3
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at approximately 2:55 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
The Council approved these minutes on June 17 , 2008.
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1)ana B _ un fI Clerk Carl Weimer, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole - Mobility Survey Results, 3/18/2008, Page 4