If we surveyed DC residents on their satisfaction with livability and transportation how would the city rate?

This thought inspired by this blog entry, "How Much Does Transportation Affect Your Quality of Life?" from the Commuter Page blog. Arlington County's regular survey of residents on these questions: see the questionnaire and the results page from the Commuter Page website.

From the entry:

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.

Note that generally, DC kicks Arlington off the map in terms of mode shift--walking, bicycling, and transit trips--and the city pales in comparison to Arlington in terms of offering focused transportation demand management and mode shift programs. Just think if we tried! Of course, it helps that the core of the city has 29 subway stations in 15 square miles plus L'Enfant's pedestrian-centric street grid--after all, who doesn't get lost in Arlington looking for "Glebe" Road?

(Although I would also do special panels within such a survey of tourists/visitors, as well as commuters. Maybe qualitative surveys even. You can get a lot of insight into things that way, even if they say seemingly stupid things. For example, I doubt with all the bicycle planning in DC that there was ever a focus group conducted with bicycle messengers.... I keep meaning to go out one day at the end of the day to Farragut Square and ask bicycle couriers some questions.)