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Paper #IRC-0034 May 18, 2011. ROUNDABOUT OPPOSITION AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. Exploring Trends in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. 3 rd International Conference on Roundabouts.
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Paper #IRC-0034 May 18, 2011 ROUNDABOUT OPPOSITION AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Exploring Trends in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont 3rd International Conference on Roundabouts NATHAN P. BELZ, M.S., E.I. University of Vermont, Transportation Research CenterBurlington, VT 05405-1757Phone: (802) 656-5539Email:nathan.belz@uvm.edu LISA AULTMAN-HALL, Ph.D.University of Vermont, Transportation Research CenterBurlington, VT 05405-1757Phone: (802) 656-1312Email: lisa.aultman-hall@uvm.edu
BACKGROUND Roundabouts have many benefits over conventional intersections, yet public and political challenges to implementation still exist in the United States ?
BACKGROUND • Negative experiences with traffic circles Stigma surrounding roundabouts Inability to discern between traffic circles, rotaries and roundabouts Lack of exposure OPPOSITION Hesitance towards change Loss of a familiar landscape
BACKGROUND • How do we deal with the issue of public acceptance?(Elephant in the room… ) • Need a better understanding of • Factors contributing opposition • Community types
BACKGROUND • Behaviors and attitudes of individuals within a local area have a strong influence on the types of changes that occur within their neighborhoods. • There exists a relationship between design and behavior which will dictate the future environment of that neighborhood. • Neighborhood DesignResidents’ Behavior • Large body of research on how urban form affects transportation use.
BACKGROUND • A LOT of questions: • Why do some things take off and others do not? (social construction component) • Why are some states building numerous roundabouts and not others? • Why do some communities embrace the conversion of standard intersections to roundabouts and others do not? Transportation System Neighborhood Characteristics Time Space Differential Success
OBJECTIVES Explore spatial relationships between rejected roundabouts and the following factors: TRANSPORTATION BUILT ENVIRONMENT DEMOGRAPHICS PUBLIC ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR
REASEARCH QUESTIONS • Research Questions: • Which variables affect the probability of roundabout rejection • What role do certain attitudes and landscape patterns play in roundabout rejections • A better understanding of the types of communities where roundabouts have been well received is essential in order to • Better allocate resources and efforts for public education and outreach • Select new sites for roundabouts that are likely to have minimal opposition
DATA • DATA • Built environment and transportation variables • National Land Cover Database (NLCD) • Nielson Database of Business Locations • Road Link Network • AADT • Intersection Density • Average Block Length • Demographic variables • US Census Bureau Block Group Data • Population Density (SF1) • Housing Density (SF1) • Income (SF3) • Education (SF3) • Age (SF1)
DATA • DATA (cont.) • Public attitudes, perceptions and behavioral variables • New England Transportation Institute Survey • Importance of a walkable neighborhood • Feel that their own neighborhood is walkable • Own emissions contribute to climate change • Feel biking is dangerous • Self-reported residential location • Roundabout/traffic circle location and attributes
METHODS BURLINGTON AUGUSTA MONTPELIER CONCORD MANCHESTER
METHODS BURLINGTON MONTPELIER AUGUSTA CONCORD • New England Transportation Survey Points • (N= 3557) • Business Points • (N=187216)
METHODS • GIS generation of spatial variables for regression model • Roundabouts • Transportation • Attitudes and Perceptions • Land Use • Demographics
METHODS • By Point: • Attitudes • Demographics • By Service Area: • Transportation • Land use
15 METHODS Kriging NETS data • Walkability Attitude • Emissions Attitude • Biking Attitude
16 METHODS Kriging NETS data • Area Type • Moran’s I = 0.637
DATA TABLE 1 General roundabout variables
DATA TABLE 2 Transportation and built environment variables
DATA TABLE 3 Demographic variables
DATA TABLE 4 Transportation and built environment variables
21 RESULTS N(exist) = 42, N(rej) = 28* Indicates significant correlation
22 RESULTS MODEL1 -2 Log Likelihood = 39.667
23 RESULTS MODEL2 -2 Log Likelihood = 43.291
24 CONCLUSIONS • Small changes in attitude result in large changes in likelihood of roundabout rejection Lower intersection density and rural areas are more likely to be opposed to roundabouts • Higher business densities indicate acceptance of roundabout is more likely ATTITUDES (a. b. c.) CHANGE • areas where biking is felt to be (more) dangerous • areas more aware of emissions contributions • areas that are perceived to be more walkable
25 FUTURE and CONTINUING WORK
26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Collaboration with: Dr. Brian LeeAssistant Professor, UVM SoE James Sullivan, P.E.Research Engineer, UVM TRC Data and Information from: Vermont Agency of TransportationMaine Department of TransportationNew Hampshire Department of TransportationNew England Transportation Institute Several RPCs and MPOs