Traffic Calming Survey

Over 300 Northside residents voiced their opinions regarding

DOTE’s test of removing rush hour parking restrictions
Hamilton
Avenue is the
major north-
south route
through
Northside

Map: Nate Wessel via Wikimedia Commons

  Sarah Cole, owner of Tickle Pickle was killed by a car on Hamilton
At issue: Avenue
pedestrian  Three weeks after, a car hit another woman on Hamilton Avenue
safety with in Northside, breaking her leg.
 Then a bicyclist was hit by a car during a “walkabout” rally
speeding, cautioning drivers to pedestrians on Hamilton Avenue – he was
carrying a sign honoring Sarah
accidents
 Pedestrian deaths are on the rise nationally
along the  2/3 of pedestrian accidents in one month in
corridor Cincinnati happened in the crosswalk
DOTE
conducted a
study & NCC
notified the
community via
social media in
a high-
performing
Facebook post
  DOTE heard several times from one person outside the
neighborhood – that is swaying opinion

 NCC wanted the community’s voice represented in any decisions

NCC wanted to regarding our neighborhood
gauge the  We used SurveyMonkey – an online research/polling tool
community’s  Sent the survey via Only in Northside (plus two other small
view of the Facebook groups), NextDoor.com, an email to NCC membership
traffic test so  Survey was set to prevent any ballot stuffing – allowing one
far response per device

 353 people answered; survey took < 3 minutes on average

 324(over 90%) of respondents listed their residence as 45223

  High awareness of DOTE’s test (54% were “very aware;” 34% were
“somewhat aware”)
 Virtually all respondents travel the corridor several times a week or
more (97%) with two-thirds saying at least daily
 Three in four said traffic control on Hamilton Avenue was “very
important” – very few respondents said it was not important
What we  77% agreed that “vehicles obviously travel too fast as evidenced by
found crashes, injuries, and fatalities”
 About half of respondents saw no difference in traffic because of
DOTE’s test, and one-third said traffic was moving somewhat slower
without any huge delays
 A plurality of respondents (44%) are waiting to hear DOTE’s
conclusions before judging the change; 28% want to see the
restrictions permanently removed, and 18% want them reinstated
 Qualitative data back the plurality: some cite the need for a part-2
to the study, when school is back in session
  Ensure the community’s voice is represented
 The survey fails to show DOTE’s removal of parking restrictions is
slowing traffic in any significant way
 With these findings, we propose the NCC send this slide deck with
Motion an executive summary of results to give DOTE an unbiased
Proposal portrayal of resident sentiment about the removal of rush hour
parking restrictions along Hamilton Avenue
 Further, we recommend the test be extended until October first to
address in-school volume, along with an adjustment period for
motorists and visitors alike to acclimate to the new rules
Appendix
Results Slides & Qualitative Input
 1. Zip code of primary residence
2. How often do you travel through the business district via Hamilton
3. Awareness of the study
List of 4. How important is traffic control on Hamilton Avenue to you
Questions 5. Overall feelings about traffic on Hamilton Avenue
6. Feelings about the City’s test via removal of parking restrictions
7. Feelings about making the removal of restrictions permanent
 Thinking about your daily routine, how often on average would you say you
travel by vehicle on Hamilton Avenue through the Northside Business District
(say from Pullan Avenue to the North to the I-75 overpass to the South)?

35.7%

Locals slightly 31.1% 31.0%

27.6%

more likely to 24.1%

25.2%

travel through
Northside
more often 5.9%
6.9% 6.9%
3.4%
1.6% 0.6%

Multiple times a About once or About once Several times a Less than once a Never
day twice daily weekly week week

45223 Others
 How aware are you of the traffic calming effort on
Hamilton Avenue currently?
55.3%

Locals more 39.3%

42.9%

likely to be 33.1%

Very Aware of
the traffic test 14.3%

8.4%

3.1% 3.6%

Very aware Somewhat aware Not very aware Not at all aware

45223 Others
 Thinking of yourself, personally, how important is traffic
control on Hamilton Avenue to you?
76.0%

Locals are
more likely to 57.7%

say traffic on
Hamilton 38.5%

Avenue is 21.4%

Extremely
Important 1.9%
0.0% 0.6%
3.8%

Extremely important Somewhat important Not very important Not at all important

45223 Others
 Overall, which statement best represents how you feel about
traffic on Hamilton Avenue in Northside?
A majority think 78.6%

traffic moves too

quickly, but non- 59.1%

Northsiders are
more likely to 18.2%

see it as “not a 6.8% 8.5%

4.5% 3.7%
9.1%
2.4%
9.1%

big deal” or not Vehicles obviously It's not a big deal - There are accidents If pedestrians and I don't notice any

notice significant travel too fast as part of city living is and mishaps along cyclists would be significant issues with
evidenced by crashes, being careful and Hamilton Avenue, but more careful and obey traffic on Hamilton
injuries, and fatalities. keeping your wits that's because so the rules, we wouldn't Avenue in Northside
traffic issues about you. many vehicles use it
every day.
have issues.

45223 Others
 The City of Cincinnati temporarily removed parking
restrictions to test the impact on local traffic. How do you
feel the test is going?

More than 4- 48.6% 50.0%

in-5 people 40.9%

32.7%

report that
there are no 9.2%
7.0%
9.1%

significant 0.0%
2.5%
0.0%

I personally have Traffic is moving Traffic through Traffic jams and Traffic seems to move
delays observed no somewhat slower, but
noticeable difference without any huge
Northside on gridlock on Hamilton faster even with
Hamilton Avenue is Avenue in Northside is people parked during
in traffic on Hamilton delays or bottlenecks. highly delayed with now a daily rush hour.
Avenue in Northside. occasional occurrence thanks to
gridlock/traffic jams. this test.

45223 Others
 What are your feelings about making the removal of parking restrictions on
Hamilton Avenue in the Northside Business District permanent?
45.2%

A plurality of 28.4%
33.3%

25.0% 25.0%
respondents 17.8% 16.7%

are reserving 8.6%

judgment until Rush hour parking I'm waiting to see what the Rush hour parking I don't have a preference --

after the restrictions in the Northside results of the study are restrictions in the Northside
Business District should be before I decide. Business District should be
either way is fine.

permanently removed so reinstated permanently

results show people can park whenever
they want to without
ASAP: people have to get
to and from work and
restriction. school, and the parking
restrictions make that
easier.

45223 Others