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Prepared by THE MARKETING SOURCE, INC.

A service of Hampton Roads Transit

Downtown Norfolk Transportation

Needs Assessment Study

January 2002

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Overall Study Objective

To help reduce traffic congestion

to and fromthe study area.

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Specific Objectives

Determine the perceived impact of area traffic on congestion.

Identify current transportation modes used.

Determine parking concerns.

Measure awareness and usage of alternative transportation options.

Measure how willing employers and employees are to adopt and implement alternate transportation programs.

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Study Area

Outer Core

Inner Core

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About the Study Area

Current Transportation Alternatives Express Bus (recently discontinued) Ferries (Harborlink and Portsmouth Park and

Sail) Regular HRT bus service NET shuttle service Some parking areas offer preferential parking

for car/vanpools.

Parking Limited Most pay for parking

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One-on-One Self-Administered Interviews Surveys

StudyComponents

Employer Commuter

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32 Employer Interviews

586 Commuter Surveys

Inner Core – 459 surveys Outer Core – 127 surveys

Conducted July – October 2001

About the study

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Employers Interviewed

<50 employeesChamber of CommerceDowntown Norfolk Council Hipage Company, Inc.Systems Engineering

Service

50-99 employeesGlenn & Sadler Associates

Hanbury Evans et alHofheimer Nusbaum et al Infinet Co. Paine Webber, Inc. S.L. Nusbaum Taylor & Walker PC Wachovia

100-249 employees Advantis KPMG Peat Marwick McArthur Center Mall Merrill Lynch Nordstroms Norfolk Housing &

Redevelopment NYT Shared Service

Cntr. Radisson R S Glasser & M Glasser Wilcox & Savage PC WVEC Television, Inc.

250-499 employees Coast Guard Goodman & Company Marriott Norfolk Southern Corp. Tidewater Community

College (TCC)

 500+ employees

Bank of AmericaCity of NorfolkNorfolk StateVA Pilot  

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Employer Findings

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Employers do not think traffic congestion is a big problem.

Traffic congestion caused few problems for business.

To a few, the unpredictability of traffic flow was most problematic.

Parking problem more serious

However, they fear that Hampton Roads traffic has the potential to become a major problem.

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Bridges and tunnels are the major trouble spots.

Trouble spots:

Bridge and tunnel congestion during peak travel times.

Downtown back-ups during inclement weather.

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Employers ideas to relieve traffic congestion.

Increase/improve tunnel crossings

Offer more flextime or staggered work hours

Encourage ridesharing

Improve and expand current bus service

Implement light rail

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Who pays for parking?

Among those interviewed…

Over half paid all parking costs for employees.

Another quarter subsidized parking costs.

Employees who do not receive paid or subsidized parking from their employer are generally: low-level service workers

employees in commission-based financial jobs

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Employer’s ideas to address parking issues.

Build more parking decks Improve frequency and convenience

of the NET Provide better information about the

NET schedule Post better signage to tourists to

identify parking areas Improve parking conditions at Harbor

Park Implement consistent parking fees Relocate business out of downtown   

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Most employers were not favorable towards Harbor Park.

Inconvenient location for employees

Perceived security risks - especially during evening hours and for female employees

Lack of lighting

Lot is partially paved and not always well- maintained

No protection from the elements

Floods during rain

NET is not consistently available when needed

Lot is unusable during daytime ball games

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Employers want to see NET schedules.

Employers are aware of the NET.

Unfamiliar with the schedule.

Unaware that service was available to downtown workers other than for parking lot shuttling.

Fear the NET would not move in a timely manner. This perception was in part, due to the absence of printed schedules.

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Employers suggested improvements to the NET.

Provide shuttle schedules.

Offer more service during non-peak times, including evenings.

Select more convenient pick-up sites.

Build shelters to protect commuters from bad weather.

Revise NET route maps to improve comprehension.

Train NET drivers in customer service issues.

Consider offering smaller buses for non-peak times.

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Currently, there are only two formal transportation programs in the companies that were interviewed.

Interviews revealed low awareness of, and participation in employee-sponsored transportation programs.

Employers just don’t know about TRAFFIX .

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Employers unfamiliar with the TRAFFIX program eagerly

volunteered to provide employees with information about alternative

transportation and the NET shuttle system.

But they are willing to help.

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Employers prefer preferential parking for carpoolers as a ridesharing program.

Minimal investment of time and money

Commuters would use it

Preferential Parking was preferred.

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Commuter Findings

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Who participated?

Government Contractors

8%

Other23% Finance

33%

Suppliers/Services 41%

Education5%

Retail3%

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Occupation of participants

13%

6%

10%

10%

13%

48%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Other

Retail

Technical/R&D

Professional

Financial

Office Support

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Where do downtown Norfolk workers live?

How do they travel to and from work?

What is their workweek like?

The Commute to Work

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Where do downtown Norfolk workers live?

VA Beach 37%Norfolk 24Chesapeake 21Peninsula 7Portsmouth 5Suffolk 4Other 2

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Drive alone 87%

Carpool 7

Bus 2

Combination 2

Other 2

Area SOV %

Oceanfront area 66%

Naval Station Norfolk 81%

Oakland Industrial Park 85%

Norfolk Commerce Park 86%

Hampton Area 87%

Downtown Norfolk 87%

Oyster Point area 88%

Lynnhaven Mall area 91%

Current Commute Mode

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Average distance to work: 14 miles

Very compressed morning and evening “rush hours” (8:00 –9:00 a.m.; 5:00-6:00 p.m.)

Most work a traditional Monday-Friday workweek.

41% use their car at least once a week for work-related travel.

Commonly use the area’s major roadways for their commute (I-264, I-64, I-464).

The daily commute

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Where do commuters stop on their way to and from work?

12%

12%

20%

28%

37%

61%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Dry Cleaners

Physical Fitness Center

Daycare/Childcare Facility

Fast Food/Dine-in Restaurant

Bank/ATM

Grocery/Convenience Store

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Are commuters familiar with area alternatives?

Do commuters use these alternatives?

Transportation Alternatives

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Area Transportation Alternatives Tested

NET (Norfolk Electric Transit) Shuttle Service

Harborlink Park and Sail Program

Portsmouth Park and Sail Program

Downtown Norfolk HOV Express Bus service

Guaranteed Ride Program

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Familiarity and usage of area services.

Harborlink Park & Sail

33%NET78%

% who have used

the service 48% 6% 15% 12% 7%

Portsmouth Park & Sail

28%

Guaranteed Ride

Home 22%

HOV Express Bus 26%

% who are

familiar

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Where do commuters park?

How much do employers and commuters pay for parking?

Do commuters think that parking is a problem?

Parking

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Where commuters park.

Do not park a vehicle 4%

Varies2%

Worksite14%

Parking Garage 71%

Side Street 1%

Off-Site Parking Lot8%

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Who pays for parking?

Employer Pays All

Employer Pays Part

Commuter Pays All

% of Sample 49% 21% 20%

Avg. monthly Cost to Commuter

$0 $30 $70

Avg. monthly cost to employer

$76 $35 $0

Most often park at…

Parking Garage

Parking Garage

Off-Site Parking Lot

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Commuters say parking is a problem.

21%24%

30%

14%11%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

5 4 3 2 1Very Big NoProblem Problem

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How does this compare to other areas?

% who view parking Area as a problem

Oceanfront area 66%

Downtown Norfolk 45

Norfolk Commerce Park 35

Lynnhaven Mall area 9

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Interest in Harbor Park

However, employers are critical.

Inconvenient location Lot is partially paved

Lack of lighting Perceived security risks

No protection from weatherFlooding when it rains

NET is not always available Lot is not available during daytime ballgames

23% said

“YES”

Would commuters park in Harbor Park and walk or take the NET to their

worksite if their employers paid for

parking?

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Are SOV commuters willing to share a ride at least once a week?

Who is the target audience?

Willingness to Rideshare

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42% say they will consider ridesharing.

13%

29%26%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Very likely Somewhatlikely

Not verylikely

Not at alllikely

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Among commuters…willingness to occasionally rideshare is high.

% Willing

Area to Rideshare

Downtown Norfolk 42%

Naval Station Norfolk 42%

Oakland Industrial Park 39%

Norfolk Commerce Park 33%

Hampton Area 30%

Oyster Point 26%

Oceanfront area 26%

Lynnhaven Mall area 24%

Highest

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Who is the target audience?

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As in other studies, carpool is the preferred alternate mode.

24%1%

3%

3%

4%

9%16%

39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Multiple Modes

Walk

Ferry

Regular Bus

Vanpool

Express Bus

Light Rail

Carpool

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Incentives boost interest among the target audience.

34%

38%

44%

48%

50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Guaranteed Ride

Ridematching

Employer subsidies

Vanpools

Park & RideLot/Shuttle

44

More frequent pick-ups and access to information would encourage bus usage.

Suggestion %Nothing 53%

More frequent pick-ups 23

Access to route and 19 schedule information

More drop-off points 17

Employer pays a portion of 11 bus costs

Offer a bus route near home 3

Offer Express bus route 2

Other 4

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Key Findings

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The Work Commute

Majority drive alone.

Have longer work trip than commuters in previous studies.

Peak morning and evening travel periods are very compressed.

Four in ten (41%) commuters say they use their car for work-related travel at least once per week.

Commuters most often stop at grocery stores during their work commute.

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Transportation Alternatives

Downtown commuters have several transportation alternatives.

Awareness and usage is highest for the NET.

Over half (53%) of the sample indicated no improvements to HRT bus service would encourage them to ride the bus.

However, more frequent pick-ups and access to information would encourage bus usage for some.

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Traffic Congestion

Many employers say that traffic congestion does not currently pose a serious problem for their business.

Employers gave a variety of suggestions to help relieve traffic congestion in the areas of concern.

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Parking

During the workday, the majority (71%) of commuters park their vehicle in a parking garage.

Over half of the employers questioned paid all parking costs for their employees and another quarter offered subsidized parking.

Nearly half (45%) of commuters believe that parking in Downtown Norfolk is problematic. Parking is the REAL problem for employers.

About one-quarter (23%) of commuters indicate they would be interested in parking in Harbor Park and walking or taking the NET to their worksite if their employer paid for parking. But employers are skeptical.

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Willingness to Help

Few employers currently offer formal transportation programs to employees, but they are eager to provide information.

Four in ten (42%) of SOV commuters say they would consider using an alternate mode of travel for their work commute at least once a week.

Information about several commuter incentives programs increased willingness to rideshare.

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Recommendations

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Reach out to area businesses and commuters.

Co-sponsor downtown activities.

Offer a “Lunch and Learn” session.

Contact Building Managers to coordinate lobby promotions.

Display TRAFFIX information on employer bulletin boards.

Make a presentation at Tenant meetings.

Use the Clean Commute Day as a major promotional event.

Work with Chamber of Commerce and Norfolk Council to gain access to employers.

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Continue to “get the word out”.

Consider advertising in downtown publications.

Place advertisements in student newspapers.

Promote TRAFFIX on drive-time radio.

Share the research findings with the City of Norfolk.

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Make ridesharing easier.

Advocate more preferential parking for carpools and vanpools.

Increase dissemination of information about the NET.

Further investigate the Harbor Park parking arrangement.

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Prepared by THE MARKETING SOURCE, INC.

A service of Hampton Roads Transit

Downtown Norfolk Transportation

Needs Assessment Study

January 2002