Transportation affects our lives a lot, and according to a 2006 survey, most Arlington County residents think the transportation system and services in the county affect their quality of life very positively. A telephone survey of Arlington residents conducted in 2006 by Southeastern Institute of Research for Arlington County Commuter Services revealed that 88% view their quality of life as good or very good, and transportation is an important determinant of that sense of satisfaction. This seems like common sense, but the survey statistically documented that the higher people rated their satisfaction with the transportation system and services in Arlington, the higher their perception of their quality of life.
Overall, 78% rated the transportation system and services in Arlington a four or five on a five point scale. According to researchers this is much higher than in most cities. Among the key drivers of satisfaction cited were overall ability to get around the county, ability to get around by bus, choice of transportation options, safety, convenience, and the time required to make trips.
Arlingtonians’ affection for choice is borne out by their usage of
other modes than driving alone. For work trips only 50% drive alone,
compared to 74% average for the DC region, and much higher nationwide.
Twice as many take transit in Arlington (26%) as in the rest of the
region, six times as many walk (6%), and three times as many bike to
work (3%).
For non-work trips Arlingtonians’ dependence on the car is even lower. In the 2006 survey, only 45% of trips were made by driving alone, and an amazing 33% were made by walking! And of course, the less we drive alone, the more we all benefit from less traffic congestion, less pollution, less parking demand, etc.
All this is good news for Arlington residents, workers, and visitors; but it is also an aid to Arlington officials who are working to improve services and quality of life. In future posts we will go into some of the reasons behind these statistics that confirm the importance of Arlington’s policies and services. You can also check out the many studies at the ACCS TDM Research Center.
____________________________________________________________________
Howard Jennings is a Metrorail commuter and manager of Research and Development for Arlington Transportation Partners, the business services section of Arlington County Commuter Services.






Recent Comments