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1 City of Center 2255 West Berry Avenue, CO Meeting Agenda Planning Commission Monday, February 13, :30 PM Community Room Study Session 1. Biennial Light Rail Station Survey Results a. ID# Attachments: Denver Regional Council of Government s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Rail Survey and Results TOD Survey - Resident Report TOD Business Report 2. Staff and Board Updates The public is invited to attend all regular meetings or study sessions of the City Council or any City Board or Commission. Please call at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting if you believe you will need special assistance or any reasonable accommodation in order to be in attendance at or participate in any such meeting. For any additional information concerning City meetings, please call the above referenced number. City of Page 1 Printed on 2/9/2017

2 City of Center 2255 West Berry Avenue, CO Staff Communication File #: ID# 17-37, Version: 1 Agenda Date: February 13, 2017 Subject: Denver Regional Council of Government s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Rail Survey and Results Presented By: Jocelyn Mills, Community Development Director STUDY SESSION: Sonya Wytinck, Director of Research Strategies from National Research Center, Inc will be presenting the DRCOG TOD Survey and s results. BACKGROUND: In April to June DRCOG conducted surveys with employers, employees and residents who live or work near current or planned rail or bus rapid transit lines in the metro Denver region. These surveys explored why residents living, and employers and employees working, near rail or bus rapid transit lines made their location decision and if/how they use (or plan to use) the nearby transit facilities. The results from these surveys will feed into planning for station development, understanding interest in TOD communities and use of transit for commuting and other trips. Joining the DRCOG effort, the City of provided additional funding to increase the number of residents and businesses contacted near the two stations in (Downtown and Mineral Ave) to ensure enough responses for analysis at the station level. Compiled into two reports are the summaries of the resident survey and business survey located near the rail stations. City of Page 1 of 1 Printed on 2/9/2017 powered by Legistar

3 Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in the Metro Denver Region Survey of Residents Living near Rail and Bus Rapid Transit Stations Report of Results for Rail Stations Prepared for the City of December Prepared by: 2955 Valmont Road Boulder, Colorado t: f:

4 Table of Contents Executive Summary... 2 Background... 4 Stations... 7 Current Housing Choice Future Housing Choice Transportation Appendix A: Tables of Results by Station and Distance Appendix B: Tables of Results by Corridor (within 1 mile) Appendix C: Methodology Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 1

5 Executive Summary In April to June DRCOG conducted surveys with employers, employees and residents who live or work near current or planned rail or bus rapid transit lines in the metro Denver region. These surveys explored why residents living, and employers and employees working, near rail or bus rapid transit lines made their location decision and if/how they use (or plan to use) the nearby transit facilities. The results from these surveys will feed into planning for station development, understanding interest in TOD communities and use of transit for commuting and other trips. Joining the DRCOG effort, the City of provided additional funding to increase the number of residents and businesses contacted near the two stations in (Downtown and Mineral Ave) to ensure enough responses for analysis at the station level. This report summarizes the findings of the resident survey completed by 453 residents located near the rail stations. It provides information on their housing and transportation choices and preferences. Key Findings The Downtown station area (especially closest to the station) looks more TOD than the Mineral Ave station area, but transit is not used more. TOD (transit-oriented development) seeks to reduce dependency on cars by building compact, walkable, mixed-use communities centered around high quality train systems. 1 RTD ratings of the area around the Downtown station (more walkable with higher employment and population densities than the area around the Mineral Ave station) suggest it is more like the TOD ideal. Mineral Ave station residents were more likely to have single family homes and their household characteristics, housing characteristics and transportation behaviors did not vary much when comparing those who lived nearer (0-1 mile) to those who lived farther (1-2 miles) from the station. There were more differences between those nearer the Downtown station and those farther. Respondents within a mile of the Downtown station were the most likely to rent an apartment and have fewer bedrooms, bathrooms, and parking spaces. When asked how they get to several typical places, the use of transit did not vary between the two stations, with the exception that more people at the Mineral Ave station used rail to get downtown. Commute mode shares were similar between stations, with people driving alone to work or school on 80% of work/school days. The only difference in alternatives to driving alone, was that more respondents near the Mineral Ave station than the Downtown station telecommuted on some days. Car ownership levels were also similar with most households near both stations having at least one car per adult. While rail stations were nearby, they were used for only about 10% of all work trips. 1 tod.org accessed September 24,. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 2

6 Lack of convenience is the greatest barrier to transit use. The most commonly cited reasons for not using transit for work or school were that the trip takes too long, has too many transfers or infrequent service, that a car is needed before, after or during work and that their workplace is too far from the train. A few people said they simply don t like using transit, but some may just need more information about taking the bus or train. People were mostly content with their neighborhood amenities. Comparing what was in their neighborhood to what they would like to have in their neighborhood, most people had what they wanted. The most common desire was for more jobs nearby (mentioned by 34% of those near the Downtown station and 22% near Mineral Ave). Other new amenities desired by at least 1 in 10 people were theaters, libraries, music venues, health facilities, athletic facilities and access to downtown and the airport. The Downtown station had a more transitional population. Compared to those near the Mineral Ave station, respondents near the Downtown were more likely to live in apartments, be renters, be younger, not married, and be in school. They were also more likely to have lived in their home for five years or less. While most respondents were not planning to move in the next two years, more at the Downtown station (26%) than the Mineral Ave station (10%) said they would move. Those who would move from their home near the Downtown station were more likely to want to reduce their rent or mortgage, buy their first home or plan for a shorter commute. At the Mineral Ave station more movers would be looking for a place to retire. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 3

7 Background Study Area Figure 1, on page 6, shows a map of the metro-denver rail and bus rapid transit system with all current and planned rail stations. For sampling purposes the stations were divided into nine areas. All currently-in-use stations were included in the study as were planned stations that were under construction or had dedicated funding to complete construction. As of January, there were 13 rail or bus rapid transit lines with 86 stations that were currently in use or in the process of being opened in the Metro Denver region. Of these stations, 47 were currently in use, 31 would come online in and 9 were planned for In 2010, only the stations in the Central, Southwest and Southeast were in use or near to ready and therefore included in the study. How the Survey Was Conducted Completed surveys were obtained from 2,547 residents located within one mile of a rail transit station and an additional 239 within 1 to 2 miles of the stations. Surveys were administered by mail with an option to complete the survey online. More information about the survey methodology can be found in Appendix C: Methodology. Understanding the Results How the Results Are Reported For the most part, frequency distributions (the percent of respondents giving each possible response to a particular question) are presented in the body of the report. A complete set of frequencies for each survey question is presented in the appendices. Rounding For some questions, respondents were permitted to select multiple responses. When the total exceeds 100% in a table for a multiple response question, it is because some respondents are counted in multiple categories. When a table for a question that only permitted a single response does not total to exactly 100%, it is due to the customary practice of rounding percentages to the nearest whole number. Precision of Estimates It is customary to describe the precision of estimates made from surveys by a level of confidence (or margin of error). The 95 percent confidence level for this survey is generally no greater 2% around any given percent reported for the whole group of respondents (2,786). Results for subgroups will have wider confidence intervals. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 4

8 The margins of error for the relevant subgroups are shown in the following table. When comparing subgroups (e.g., stations or distance from station), the margins of error impact whether the difference is statistically significant. The table below shows the thresholds for which differences are statistically significant. For example, when comparing a result by distance from the Downtown station, the difference must be at least 14% to be statistically significant. Therefore, if 40% of those 0-1 miles away from the Downtown station and 30% of those 1-2 miles away from the Downtown station said they used transit this difference would not be statistically significant. However, if comparing the larger groups, all Downtown station respondents to all Mineral Ave station respondents, the difference would only have to be ±10% to be statistically significant. Station Distance from station Number of responses Margin error around estimates Downtown 0-1 miles 139 ±8% Downtown 1-2 miles 88 ±10% Difference required for statistical significance Downtown 0-2 miles 227 ±7% ±10% Mineral 0-1 miles 75 ±11% Mineral 1-2 miles 151 ±8% Mineral 0-2 miles 226 ±7% ±14% ±14% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 5

9 Figure 1: Map or Rail s, Stations and Sampling Regions Note: 1. Northwest does not include Church Ranch, Downtown Longmont, Flatiron, Gunbarrel, and Louisville rail stations, 2. North Metro does not include North Thornton Hwy 7 and York 144 th stations and 6.Southwest does not include C-470/Lucent station. These stations have been identified for future construction, but did not yet have funding in place. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 6

10 Stations The Southwest corridor is served by two lines (C and D) that continue into the Central corridor. There are currently five stations in the Southwest corridor, including two in ( Downtown and Mineral Ave.). Downtown was rated as having a very good pedestrian-bike network with medium employment and population densities. Mineral Ave was rated as having a poor pedestrian-bike network, with lower employment and population densities 2. Related to the density ratings, there were more households located close to the Downtown station than to the Mineral Ave Station (more within a mile walk and also more within a 2 mile walk). Car parking was available at both Downtown and Mineral Ave stations. Proportion of stations within the corridor with the following characteristics Table 1: Neighborhood Characteristics by Station/Corridor Downtown Mineral Ave Southwest (other) Number of Stations Car parking available Rating of pedestrian bike network Employment density Population density No 33% 36% Yes 67% 64% Best 0% 29% Moderate 100% 37% Poor 0% 34% High 0% 45% Medium 100% 19% Low 0% 36% High 0% 45% Medium 33% 25% Low 67% 31% All Downtown Mineral Ave Table 2: Households within 2 mile Walk of Station 0 to 1/4 mile 1/4 to 1/2 mile 1/2 to 1 mile 1 to 2 miles Total within 2 miles walk Number ,277 3,220 Percent 3% 4% 23% 71% 100% Number ,294 Percent 0% 4% 27% 69% 100% 2 The pedestrian-bike network, employment density and population density were assessed by RTD staff. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 7

11 Respondents Respondents living near the Downtown station were more likely to be younger than those near the Mineral Ave station. Additionally, those who were closer to a station (within 1 mile) were younger on average than those who lived further away. This younger demographic was more likely to live alone or with other adults, while the older groups were more likely to live with a spouse. Those near the Downtown station were also more likely to be students, while those near Mineral Ave were more often retirees. Respondents living near the Mineral Ave station were more likely to have a bachelors or master s degree than the younger group living near the Downtown station, but most in both groups had some college education, if not a 4 year degree. Figure 2: Respondent Age Downtown 0-1 mile Downtown 1-2 miles Mineral Ave 0-1 mile Mineral Ave 1-2 miles What is your age? Aged Aged Aged % 29% 33% 30% 45% 25% 16% 33% 50% 9% 30% 61% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Figure 3: Respondent Household Composition Who lives with you? Downtown Mineral Ave Only me 30% 19% My spouse/partner 49% 75% Children 36% 29% Other adults 14% 4% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 8

12 Figure 4: Employment Status Which best describes your employment status? Downtown Mineral Ave Employed full-time 57% 54% Retired 17% 35% Employed part-time 17% 11% Homemaker 5% 5% Disabled/ on disability status 7% 1% Unemployed 6% 1% In college or vocational school 7% 0% In high school or GED classes 1% 0% Total 100% 100% Figure 5: Respondent Education Level How much education have you completed? Downtown Mineral Ave 0 to 11 years of school 2% 0% High school 11% 5% Some college or 2-year degree 38% 14% Bachelor's degree 32% 44% Graduate/professional degree 17% 38% Total 100% 100% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 9

13 Current Home Most people living within a mile of the Downtown station lived in an attached dwelling (apartment 58%, townhouse 4% or duplex 2%), but 33% were in a detached home (single family house or mobile home). Those further from the station were more likely to live in a single family home. More of those closest to the Mineral Ave station lived in a townhouse (49%) or a single family home (43%), while those living 1 to 2 miles away were most likely to be in a single family home (63%). Those near Downtown were more likely to rent (especially those closest) and those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely to own their homes. Figure 6: Housing type 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% What type of home do you currently live in? Downtown 0-1 mile Downtown 1-2 miles Mineral Ave 0-1 mile Mineral Ave 1-2 miles 63% 58% 58% 49% 43% 33% 21% 22% 16% 9% 9% 10% 4% 4% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% Apartment Single family house Townhouse/Condo Duplex Mobile home/other Downtown 0-1 mile Downtown 1-2 miles Mineral Ave 0-1 mile Mineral Ave 1-2 miles Figure 7: Housing Tenure Do you own or rent your current home? Own (with or without a mortgage) Rent Other 26% 74% 61% 33% 6% 87% 13% 84% 15% 1% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 10

14 Respondents living near the Mineral Ave station tended to have higher incomes than those near the Downtown station, but they were also more likely to live with other spouses. Along with higher incomes and more people in the household, they were somewhat more likely to have higher housing costs, especially those living 1-2 miles from the station. Figure 8: Respondents Household Income What is your current monthly rent, mortgage payment (including taxes and insurance), or taxes and insurance if you own without a mortgage? <$50K $50-$99K $100K+ Downtown 39% 31% 31% Mineral Ave 15% 30% 54% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Figure 9: Cost of Housing What is your current monthly rent, mortgage payment (including taxes and insurance), or taxes and insurance if you own without a mortgage? $0-$999 $1,000-$1,499 $1,500-$1,999 $2,000-$2,499 $2,500 or more Downtown 0-1 mile 43% 32% 18% 4% 3% Downtown 1-2 miles 35% 37% 22% 2% 4% Mineral Ave 0-1 mile 41% 29% 19% 6% 5% Mineral Ave 1-2 miles 38% 21% 20% 11% 9% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 11

15 Those near the Downtown station were more likely to be renting an attached home and as such were also more likely than those near the Mineral Ave station to have a home with fewer (or no) parking spaces, fewer bedrooms and fewer bathrooms, on average. This varied by distance for those near the Downtown station (places were smaller closer to the station), but did not vary by distance for those near the Mineral Ave station. Figure 10: Home Amenities How many bedrooms and bathrooms are in your current home? None One Two Three Four or more Bedrooms 19% 24% 29% 28% Downtown Bathrooms 30% 41% 22% 7% Parking spaces 15% 24% 35% 15% 12% LIttleton Mineral Ave Bedrooms Bathrooms 8% 10% 23% 26% 27% 41% 42% 22% Parking spaces 7% 10% 39% 14% 31% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Respondents were asked to check, from a list, all the amenities that were close to their home. See Figure 11 on page 13. Almost all respondents (80% or more) from both stations said that they lived near parks and open space, a rail station, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, a bus stop or station, and grocery stores. As the Downtown station is further than the Mineral Ave station from Highway 85, those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely than those near the Downtown station to say they lived near the freeway. This was true regardless of distance from their rail station. See Table 16 on page 45. Those near the Downtown station were more likely to say they were near colleges, K-12 schools, city buildings, athletic facilities, and access to downtown, while those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely to have nearby health facilities. There was little variance by distance to the closest station. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 12

16 Figure 11: Amenities near Home We would like to know about some things that might be near your home. For each thing listed, please tell us: Are they currently close to your home? Parks and open space Rail transit station Freeway Bus stop or station Restaurants, coffee shops, bars Grocery stores Health facilities Retail stores Theaters, libraries, music venues Schools (K-12) Athletic facilities Colleges Child care City buildings Employment Social services (food assistance, veteran services, etc.) Downtown Airport 7% 1% 15% 31% 22% 29% 41% 43% 43% 41% 37% 52% 49% 63% 59% 65% 71% 78% 70% 67% 70% 69% 89% 80% 77% 75% 85% 91% 87% 86% 81% 78% 84% 94% 92% 92% Dowtown Mineral Ave 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent "yes" Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 13

17 Respondents near both stations were generally content with their nearby amenities (for each amenity 70% or more said were either indifferent about it, wanted it nearby and it was nearby, or did not want it nearby and it was not nearby). For those near the Downtown station, the additions they would like to make to their neighborhood were more employment (34%), more health facilities (19%) and closer access to downtown (15%), theaters, libraries, music venues (12%) and the airport (12%). Although 5% also felt they are too close to downtown. About 9% would like to be further from city buildings and K-12 schools. Overall, the amenities that people near the Mineral Ave Station were most likely to say they wanted nearby, but did not have, were employment (22%), theaters, libraries, music venues (12%), grocery stores (12%), athletic facilities (10%) and the airport (10%). The freeway was the amenity that the largest proportion (18%) had nearby, but did not want. Figure 12: Amenities near Home Preference Compared to Reality ( Downtown) Is it close to home? versus Would you like it to be close? Want and don't have Don't want and have Want and have Don't want and don't have Indifferent Employment 34% 3% 31% 3% 29% Health facilities 19% 3% 44% 5% 28% Downtown 15% 5% 13% 34% 33% Theaters, libraries, music venues 12% 3% 59% 3% 22% Airport 12% 0% 7% 55% 27% Rail transit station 8% 3% 58% 3% 29% Athletic facilities 7% 1% 42% 5% 45% Retail stores 7% 9% 41% 10% 34% Restaurants, coffee shops, bars 7% 6% 64% 1% 23% Colleges 7% 2% 29% 5% 57% Child care 4% 2% 21% 2% 71% Bus stop or station 3% 7% 39% 1% 51% Grocery stores 3% 7% 72% 1% 16% Parks and open space 2% 4% 73% 0% 22% Social services 2% 1% 14% 12% 71% Freeway 1% 7% 29% 35% 28% City buildings 1% 9% 27% 9% 54% Schools (K-12) 1% 9% 41% 1% 49% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 14

18 Figure 13: Amenities near Home Preference Compared to Reality ( Mineral Ave) Is it close to home? versus Would you like it to be close? Want and don't have Don't want and have Want and have Don't want and don't have Indifferent Employment 22% 2% 21% 6% 49% Grocery stores 12% 4% 50% 1% 33% Theaters, libraries, music venues 12% 5% 41% 4% 39% Airport 10% 0% 0% 54% 35% Athletic facilities 10% 3% 31% 5% 51% Downtown 9% 1% 7% 41% 43% Health facilities 7% 4% 42% 2% 45% Restaurants, coffee shops, bars 6% 5% 45% 4% 40% Social services 6% 2% 6% 7% 79% Retail stores 5% 7% 31% 7% 49% City buildings 4% 4% 10% 20% 62% Bus stop or station 3% 6% 27% 2% 61% Child care 3% 1% 12% 4% 79% Rail transit station 3% 5% 50% 1% 41% Parks and open space 2% 4% 58% 0% 36% Schools (K-12) 2% 5% 31% 4% 58% Colleges 1% 5% 10% 10% 75% Freeway 0% 18% 29% 10% 43% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 15

19 Across the metro region, 63% of respondents said they had lived in their house for five years or less. This was similar for the Downtown station (64% lived in their house for five years or less), but near the Mineral Ave station most people had lived in their home for 6 year or longer (61%). This did not vary by the distance to the Mineral Ave station, but those closest to the Downtown station (0-1 mile) were more likely to have shorter tenure than (5.9 years on average) than those 1-2 miles away (9.2 years on average), See Table 5 on page 39. Figure 14: Length of Time at Current Residence How long have you lived in your current home? <1 year 1-5 years 6-9 years years 20+ years Downtown 21% 43% 6% 17% 12% Mineral Ave 9% 30% 18% 21% 22% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 16

20 Current Housing Choice Respondents were asked for the zip code of their last home and this was compared to their current location. For those who provided a zip code, most had moved to from a different city. Figure 15: Area Moved from Current location Same city New city Downtown 23% 77% Mineral Ave 41% 59% *7% of Downtown station respondents and 14% of Mineral Ave station respondents did not provide a zip code and were excluded from this analysis. When asked to choose the most important reasons for choosing their current home (see Figure 16 on page 18), the most common reasons for both stations were to find a different house type, style, size, etc. or a different neighborhood. Those near the Downtown station were more likely than those near the Mineral Ave station to be looking to reduce their rent or mortgage (33%) or other expenses (14%) or to buy their first home (26%). Those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely than those near the Downtown to be looking for new housing amenities (42%) or a new home for retirement (17%). This did not vary much by distance to the station, but those 1-2 miles from the Mineral Ave station were more likely than those closer to be looking for a home to retire in or for better schools for their children. Those 0-1miles from the Downtown station were more likely than those further to have been responding to a household change (employment, marital status, more or fewer people in home). See Table 6 on page 40. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 17

21 Figure 16: Reason for Moving to Current Location Please check all of the reasons that you moved from your last home to your current home? Wanted a different house type, style, size, lot or other amenities Wanted a different neighborhood To buy first home To reduce rent/ mortgage Marital status changed Employment status changed Workplace or school location changed Number of people in household increased Better school for children To be closer to transit (bus/rail) New home for retirement Shorter or easier commute To reduce other expenses (heating/cooling, transportation) Number of people in household decreased Household income decreased Household income increased Now able to work from home (telecommute) Something else (please specify) 28% 42% 29% 30% 26% 16% 33% 8% 19% 15% 19% 14% 13% 13% 11% 14% 12% 13% 15% 8% 5% 17% 12% 9% 14% 4% 12% 5% 9% 5% 3% 9% 0% 1% 7% 5% Dowtown Mineral Ave 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent "yes" Verbatim responses to something else are provided in Appendix A: Tables of Results Section: Verbatim responses to open-ended questions.. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 18

22 Respondents were also asked to rate how important a variety of potential benefits were in their choice to live where they do, and then to identify the four that had the greatest impact on their decision. The figures on the following three pages summarize these results. The cost of housing was the most important factor in choosing their current home for most respondents. Looking at the ratings on a scale of 0 to 100 where 100=essential, 67=very important, 33=somewhat important and 0=not at all important, the highest rated amenity was the cost of housing followed by low crime rate, quiet neighborhood, parks and open spaces and a low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets. When asked to pick the top four reasons (Figure 19 on page 22), the results varied a little more by station, but cost remained top of the list for both. Cost and having restaurants, coffee shops and bars nearby were more important to people living near the Downtown station while those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely to prioritize amenities such as low crime rate, more living space, K-12 schools and parks and open spaces. Those close (0-1 mile) and further (1-2 miles) from the stations generally had similar reasons for choosing their home. The few places ratings varied suggest that those closer to a station favor access to restaurants, coffee shops bars and rail transit, while those further from the station put more value on quiet, traffic free areas and home amenities (yard, living space etc.). See Table 24 on page 53 and Table 25 on page 55. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 19

23 Figure 17: Most Important Reasons for Choosing Current Home Thinking back, what was important to you when you were looking for your current home? Cost of housing Low crime rate within neighborhood Quiet neighborhood Parks and open spaces nearby Low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood Good investment potential More living space Community centers, recreation centers or pools nearby Close to workplace Easy access to rail transit service Lots of parking (garages or driveways) Near high quality K-12 schools Nearby theaters, libraries, music venues etc. Restaurants, coffee shops, bars within walking distance Close to friends or family Lots of interaction with neighbors/lively neighborhood Good bicycle routes beyond the neighborhood Dowtown Mineral Ave Average rating* *Average rating where "essential"=100, "very important"=67, "somewhat important"=33 and "not at all important"=0. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 20

24 Figure 18: Least Important Reasons for Choosing Current Home Thinking back, what was important to you when you were looking for your current home? Economic level of neighbors similar to my level 30 Dowtown 39 Mineral Ave Food/grocery shopping within walking distance Large yard Easy access to the freeway Easy access to downtown Neighborhood had a variety of housing styles Easy access to RTD bus service Close to health services Diverse neighbors in terms of ethnicity, race, and age Less home and yard maintenance Close to school or college Lots of children in the neighborhood Other shopping areas within walking distance Easy access to a regional shopping mall Easy access to airport Newly built home Close to child care Desire to own fewer cars 8 16 Less living space 8 10 Home is on a cul-de-sac 7 10 Desire to own more cars 9 6 Secondary living unit on property Average rating* *Average rating where "essential"=100, "very important"=67, "somewhat important"=33 and "not at all important"=0. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 21

25 Figure 19: Top Four Reasons for Choosing Current Home Thinking back, what was important to you when you were looking for your current home? Choose the 4 most important reasons. Cost of housing Low crime rate within neighborhood Near high quality K-12 schools More living space Quiet neighborhood Parks and open spaces nearby Good investment potential Close to workplace Easy access to rail transit service Low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets Close to friends or family Restaurants, coffee shops, bars within walking Less home and yard maintenance Large yard Lots of parking (garages or driveways) Lots of interaction with neighbors/lively Good bicycle routes beyond the neighborhood Food/grocery shopping within walking distance Lots of children in the neighborhood Close to school or college Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood Close to health services Economic level of neighbors similar to my level Newly built home Desire to own fewer cars Easy access to RTD bus service 78% 62% 28% 40% 24% 35% 18% 30% 22% 26% 17% 27% 18% 26% 18% 14% 17% 14% 13% 13% 12% 11% 17% Downtown 4% Mineral Ave 4% 13% 8% 7% 9% 6% 6% 7% 7% 5% 9% 2% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 3% 4% 5% 3% 5% 0% 5% 5% 0% 5% 0% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents *Items chosen by 4% or fewer were not included in this chart. The full list can be found in the appendices. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 22

26 Future Housing Choice Respondents were asked to think about buying a new home (whether or not they currently planned to move) and to rate the importance of each item on a list of housing/neighborhood amenities relative to their choice in purchasing their next home. Then they were asked to pick the four amenities they thought would be most important in making that decision. Figures on pages 24, 25 and26 summarize these results. The cost of housing was the most important factor for most respondents in choosing their current home and it remained the most important factor for choosing their next home. Low crime rate, quiet neighborhood, parks and open spaces and low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets all remained at the top of the list, but good investment potential moved up in importance for the next purchase. Access to rail transit was in the top third of amenities, rated as half way between very and somewhat important, and coming in 10 th on the list of 40 items when asked to pick the four most important. This did not vary by location, with the exception that cost was more often cited by those who lived near the Mineral Ave station (but was still at the top of the list for Downtown station respondents). Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 23

27 Figure 20: Most Important Amenities for a New Home If you were to look for a NEW home, what would be important to you? (1) Rate how important each item would be when choosing your next home. Cost of housing Low crime rate within neighborhood Quiet neighborhood Parks and open spaces nearby Good investment potential Low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood Community centers, recreation centers or pools nearby Nearby theaters, libraries, music venues etc. Easy access to rail transit service Restaurants, coffee shops, bars within walking distance Close to friends or family Close to workplace Good bicycle routes beyond the neighborhood Lots of interaction with neighbors/lively neighborhood Less home and yard maintenance Food/grocery shopping within walking distance Lots of parking (garages or driveways) Economic level of neighbors similar to my level Dowtown Mineral Ave Average rating* *Average rating where "essential"=100, "very important"=67, "somewhat important"=33 and "not at all important"=0. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 24

28 Figure 21: Least Important Amenities for a New Home If you were to look for a NEW home, what would be important to you? (1) Rate how important each item would be when choosing your next home. Close to health services Near high quality K-12 schools More living space Easy access to the freeway Other shopping areas within walking distance Easy access to downtown Easy access to RTD bus service Neighborhood had a variety of housing styles Large yard Diverse neighbors in terms of ethnicity, race, and age Easy access to airport Lots of children in the neighborhood Newly built home Easy access to a regional shopping mall Less living space Close to school or college Desire to own fewer cars Close to child care Home is on a cul-de-sac Secondary living unit on property Desire to own more cars *Average rating where "essential"=100, "very important"=67, "somewhat important"=33 and "not at all important"= Average rating* Dowtown Mineral Ave Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 25

29 Figure 22: Top Four Reasons for Choosing Next Home If you were to look for a NEW home, what would be important to you? (2) Check the 4 most important factors for choosing your next home. Cost of housing Low crime rate within neighborhood Quiet neighborhood Good investment potential Parks and open spaces nearby Near high quality K-12 schools Less home and yard maintenance Low level of car traffic on neighborhood streets Close to workplace Easy access to rail transit service More living space Close to friends or family Large yard Lots of interaction with neighbors/lively Good bicycle routes beyond the neighborhood Lots of parking (garages or driveways) Less living space Restaurants, coffee shops, bars within walking Close to health services Lots of children in the neighborhood Newly built home Sidewalks throughout the neighborhood Easy access to RTD bus service Neighborhood has a variety of housing styles Community centers, recreation centers or pools Nearby theaters, libraries, music venues etc. 65% 81% 45% 39% 35% 27% 24% 30% 30% 24% 20% 13% 22% 9% 13% 17% 8% 17% 12% 13% 6% 14% 10% 8% 6% 11% 9% Dowtown 7% 9% Mineral Ave 7% 4% 12% 10% 4% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 4% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 4% 2% 5% 5% 2% 5% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 26

30 Most respondents were not planning to move in the near future. Only 26% of those near the Downtown station and 10% of those near the Mineral Ave station said they would move in the next two years, while about one-quarter thought they might move. Figure 23: Intension to Move Do you think you will move in the next two years? 70% Dowtown Mineral Ave 64% 60% 50% 51% 40% 30% 26% 23% 25% 20% 10% 10% 0% Yes Maybe No When asked to rate the most important reasons for choosing their next home (see Figure 24 on page 28), the most common reason was to find a different house type, style, size, lot, etc. Those living near the Downtown station were more likely to move to reduce their rent or mortgage (44%), buy their first home (33%), respond to an increase in their income (33%), move to a different neighborhood (30%), or plan for a shorter commute (29%). Those near the Mineral Ave station were more likely to prioritize a new home for retirement (35%). Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 27

31 Figure 24: Reason for Future Move Why would you move? Wanted a different house type, style, size, lot, etc. To reduce rent/mortgage New home for retirement Wanted a different neighborhood Household income increased To buy first home Shorter or easier commute Number of people in household increased Employment status changed To reduce other expenses (heating/cooling, transportation) Number of people in household decreased Workplace or school location changed Something else (Specify) Better school for children Household income decreased Marital status changed To be closer to transit (bus/rail) Now able to work from home (telecommute) 52% 55% 44% 25% 16% 35% 30% 19% 33% 14% 33% 14% 29% Downtown 14% Mineral Ave 25% 17% 18% 21% 13% 21% 12% 19% 15% 11% 17% 9% 14% 8% 9% 13% 14% 6% 4% 4% 2% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of those who will or might move Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 28

32 Transportation Most households had at least one car per adult in their household, with households near the Mineral Ave station being a little more likely to own more than one car per adult than households near the downtown station. Bike ownership was highest for households near the Mineral Ave station, which may reflect the challenges of storing a bike for people living in apartments (as apartment living was more prevalent near the Downtown station). Figure 25: Car Ownership How many vehicles are at your household that are currently in good condition and available for use? Less than one One More than one Downtown 13% 68% 19% Mineral Ave 11% 61% 28% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Figure 26: Bicycle Ownership How many bikes are at your household that are currently in good condition and available for use? Less than one One More than one Downtown 62% 23% 15% Mineral Ave 46% 28% 26% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 29

33 Residents generally did not use on-demand transportation services, and the differences in the use of ride-hailing, bike sharing and care sharing were not statistically significant. Figure 27: Use of On-Demand Transportation Services Which of the following on-demand services do you use? None of these Ride-hailing (Uber, Lyft) Bike share (B-Cycle, Bike Share) Car share (car2go, Zipcar, Enterprise CarShare, ego CarShare) 12% 17% 6% 1% 3% 2% 80% 82% Dowtown Mineral Ave Few respondents lived within a quarter mile of their closest rail station and they were more likely to say a bus stop, rather than a rail station, was within reasonable walking distance. Those who lived within a mile of a station were more likely to say it was an easy walk than those who were 1 to 2 miles away. Residents at the two stations had similar assessments of the ease of walking to a bus stop, but those within a mile of the Mineral Ave station were more likely to say it was an easy walk to their rail station than those living within a mile of the Downtown station. This is an interesting result as the Downtown pedestrian bike network is rated more highly than the network near the Mineral Ave Station. Which best describes how close your home is to bus stops? Figure 28: Proximity of Home to Bus Stop/Station Downtown Mineral Ave 0 to 1 mile 1-2 miles 0 to 1 mile 1-2 miles I am an easy walk to a bus stop/station 68% 57% 71% 51% It is a little far, but I could walk to a bus stop/station 27% 39% 27% 34% I am too far to walk to a bus stop/station 5% 4% 2% 15% Figure 29: Proximity of Home to Rail Station Which best describes how close your home is to rail stations? 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Downtown Mineral Ave 0 to 1 mile 1-2 miles 0 to 1 mile 1-2 miles I am an easy walk to a rail station 50% 8% 74% 8% It is a little far, but I could walk to a rail station 40% 61% 23% 67% I am too far to walk to a rail station 10% 31% 3% 25% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 30

34 When asked how they currently got to some common destinations, respondents most often said they drove to each of the destinations. The most common places accessed by bus or rail were downtown and the airport for those near the Downtown station and downtown and employment for those near the Mineral Ave station. To get to a bus stop or parks and open space the most frequent mode of access was walking or biking, but most people drove to the rail station. When asked how they would prefer to get to each of these places, driving was still preferred for many destinations. Overall, respondents indicated that they would like to transition some trips away from driving. More would prefer to take bus or rail to the airport and their employment or college than currently did. Many would like to transition from driving to walking or biking for going to theaters, libraries, music venues, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, stores, athletic facilities, rail transit stations and bus stops or stations. Figure 30: Mode of Transportation by Activity ( Downtown) Use bus or rail To get there, I currently Walk or bike Drive Never go To get there, I would prefer to Use bus or rail Walk or bike Downtown 34% 13% 54% 7% 33% 16% 41% 5% Airport 11% 1% 80% 9% 45% 2% 46% 8% Restaurants, coffee shops, bars 8% 33% 72% 3% 4% 53% 52% 2% Theaters, libraries, music venues 8% 30% 71% 2% 11% 49% 52% 1% Employment 7% 6% 75% 10% 21% 27% 52% 9% City buildings 5% 13% 75% 8% 5% 17% 69% 10% Retail stores 5% 13% 84% 1% 4% 27% 76% 0% Colleges 5% 11% 42% 39% 15% 20% 34% 34% Grocery stores 5% 11% 89% 0% 2% 27% 78% 1% Rail transit station 4% 36% 56% 15% 8% 65% 30% 7% Athletic facilities 3% 25% 60% 15% 4% 49% 34% 10% Schools (K-12) 3% 17% 33% 46% 7% 32% 21% 41% Parks and open space 2% 73% 34% 3% 1% 85% 15% 1% Bus stop or station 2% 39% 14% 45% 1% 47% 19% 29% Health facilities 2% 6% 83% 6% 4% 17% 73% 4% Social services 2% 6% 26% 49% 5% 12% 29% 46% Drive Never go Child care 0% 4% 25% 56% 0% 12% 22% 52% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 31

35 Figure 31: Mode of Transportation by Activity ( Mineral Ave) Use bus or rail To get there, I currently Walk or bike Drive Never go To get there, I would prefer to Use bus or rail Walk or bike Drive Never go Downtown 42% 4% 64% 6% 57% 9% 37% 6% Employment 10% 5% 55% 17% 24% 17% 38% 17% Airport 9% 0% 84% 3% 56% 1% 41% 3% City buildings 8% 1% 75% 9% 13% 8% 55% 12% Restaurants, coffee shops, bars 6% 16% 81% 2% 10% 39% 55% 1% Schools (K-12) 5% 11% 27% 46% 6% 19% 17% 44% Theaters, libraries, music venues 5% 10% 83% 5% 18% 29% 56% 3% Rail transit station 3% 31% 67% 13% 7% 51% 35% 9% Athletic facilities 3% 12% 58% 20% 6% 30% 42% 15% Colleges 3% 1% 22% 54% 6% 4% 20% 49% Parks and open space 1% 72% 26% 5% 1% 73% 18% 3% Retail stores 1% 11% 87% 0% 6% 19% 73% 0% Health facilities 1% 6% 78% 7% 4% 15% 66% 6% Grocery stores 1% 4% 89% 0% 3% 20% 72% 0% Social services 1% 2% 13% 59% 4% 3% 16% 52% Bus stop or station 0% 25% 11% 54% 1% 36% 6% 42% Child care 0% 0% 18% 52% 1% 5% 16% 51% Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 32

36 Commute mode patterns were pretty steady across weekdays and stations, but a few more people near the Downtown station worked on Saturday and in general, people living near the Mineral Ave Station were more likely than those near the Downtown station to telecommute. Did not go to work /school Drove vehicle alone Figure 32: Commute Mode by Day ( Downtown) Used rail transit Telecommuted (worked from home) Biked Car/van pooled Took bus Walked Took taxi, Uber, or Lyft Drove motorbike or scooter Monday 36% 49% 5% 4% 4% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% Tuesday 41% 43% 8% 4% 0% 1% 2% 1% 0% 0% Wednesday 32% 48% 8% 5% 1% 2% 2% 2% 0% 0% Thursday 38% 44% 9% 3% 0% 2% 1% 2% 0% 0% Friday 33% 52% 4% 6% 3% 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% Saturday 62% 26% 1% 4% 3% 1% 0% 2% 0% 0% Sunday 76% 15% 0% 2% 3% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% Thinking about last week, please tell us how you got to work each day (if you use more than one transportation mode, choose the one you used for the most miles). Did not go to work /school Figure 33: Commute Mode by Day ( Mineral Ave) Drove vehicle alone Used rail transit Telecommuted (worked from home) Biked Car/van pooled Took bus Walked Took taxi, Uber, or Lyft Drove motorbike or scooter Monday 34% 43% 6% 11% 0% 3% 0% 2% 0% 0% Tuesday 35% 44% 6% 10% 1% 2% 1% 2% 0% 0% Wednesday 32% 45% 5% 11% 1% 3% 0% 2% 0% 0% Thursday 32% 47% 6% 11% 0% 2% 1% 1% 0% 0% Friday 35% 42% 7% 11% 0% 3% 1% 1% 0% 0% Saturday 77% 14% 2% 2% 1% 2% 0% 0% 1% 0% Sunday 80% 12% 2% 2% 0% 2% 0% 1% 0% 0% Thinking about last week, please tell us how you got to work each day (if you use more than one transportation mode, choose the one you used for the most miles). Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 33

37 Looking at commute patterns for only those who worked or went to school, most drove alone at least on day of the week (80%) and/or every day of the week (72% near Mineral Ave station, 76% near the Downtown station). About 3 in 10 used an alternative to driving alone (telecommuted, used bus or rail or walked or biked) at least once a week. Telecommuting was more often used by those near Mineral Ave station, while other modes did not vary by station. Figure 34: Commute Mode Last Week ( Downtown) Thinking about last week, please tell us how you got to work or school each day (if you use more than one transportation mode, choose the one you used for the most miles). Drive vehicle alone Alternate transport Bus or rail transit Walk or bike Telecommute Car/van pool 30% 24% 17% 8% 12% 6% 10% 5% 5% 2% 80% 76% At Least One Day Last Week Every Workday Last Week 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Figure 35: Commute Mode Last Week ( Mineral Ave) Thinking about last week, please tell us how you got to work or school each day (if you use more than one transportation mode, choose the one you used for the most miles). Drive vehicle alone Alternate transport Telecommute Bus or rail transit Car/van pool Walk or bike 8% 15% 6% 9% 5% 8% 2% 28% 28% 27% 80% 72% At Least One Day Last Week Every Workday Last Week 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 34

38 The overall commute mode share tells a similar story. When looking at all days worked in the past week, the most common commute mode was to drive alone followed by telecommuting and using rail transit. While rail stations were nearby, they were used for only about 10% of all work trips. Proportion of all days that respondents worked in previous week Figure 36: Commute Mode Share Last Week Downtown Total days working Proportion of days Mineral Ave Total days working Proportion of days Drove alone % % Telecommuted 60 7% % Used rail transit 92 11% 86 9% Carpooled 19 2% 37 4% Walked/ Biked 23 3% 9 1% Took bus 18 2% 9 1% Other mode 0 0% 0 0% Total days % % Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 35

39 Barriers to Transit Use Those who did not always use buses or trains to commute were asked to pick the top three reasons for not using transit to commute (Figure 37 and Figure 38 on the following pages). The most common reasons for not always using transit were that the trip takes too long, especially for buses, that a car is needed before or after work and that their workplace is too far from the station (less of an issue for buses). Many also said that they just don t like riding buses and that trains cost too much. Those living near the Mineral Ave station were more likely than those near the Downtown station to say they needed their car before or after work, buses were too infrequent, and rail trips took too long or had too many transfers. Those living near the Downtown station were more likely than those near the Mineral Ave station to say they thought they were too far from the bus stop or needed more information about taking the bus or train, that they didn t feel safe getting to the bus stop or rail station, that they had trouble finding their way after getting off the train or that they just don t like riding trains. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 36

40 Figure 37: Reasons for not Using Buses If you do not use buses for your commute to or from work, please check the top three reasons why you do not to use the bus or train every day you go to work or school. Trip takes too long/too many transfers I need my car before or after work I need my car during the day (while at work) Service is not frequent enough to be convenient I just don t like riding the buses Parking is free, so no need to use transit I don t know enough about it, I need more information It is too far from my work to the stop/station Costs too much It is too far from my home to the stop/station I don t feel safe from crime walking to stop/station I don t feel safe on the buses I don t feel safe from traffic walking to stop/station Too crowded/seating is not available Poor sidewalks between home and the stop/station Trouble finding my way before or after the trip Other (please describe) 51% 49% 26% 37% 29% 32% 21% 33% 27% 21% 17% 25% Dowtown 26% Mineral Ave 15% 12% 13% 16% 7% 17% 6% 9% 1% 1% 8% 4% 3% 4% 1% 4% 1% 3% 1% 5% 9% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of respondents Verbatim responses to other are provided in Appendix A: Tables of Results Section: Verbatim responses to open-ended questions. Prepared by National Research Center, Inc. Page 37