Shift the Balance Campaign and Survey

Shift the Balance is CLF's campaign to help shift the transportation system into balance to create a more sustainable system with viable choices. It is composed of both public outreach and policy advocacy. As part of the public outreach component, during Fall 2006, we made presentations to community groups and tabled at workshops, conferences, and fairs -- 20 events in all to over 500 people. We distributed handouts that described our vision for a just and sustainable transportation system for the region and proposed strategies to achieve that vision. To receive feedback on our ideas, we created a survey and distributed it to attendees, and also published an online version. In all, we collected over 700 responses from residents throughout the region.

Our goal is to inform and influence Metro's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) process and promote common sense strategies to increase transportation choices and create healthier communities.

Key Survey Findings

• Biggest concern today and in 10 years -- Environmental impacts (87%)
• Overwhelmingly approve infrastructure in existing communities rather than building outside UGB -- (86%)
• #1 thing that will get people out of their cars -- Have stores, services, and recreation within walking distance (90%). #2 thing to get people out of their cars -- Make public transit quicker and more convenient (80%). Improving sidewalks and bikeways also scored well. Raising user fees did not score well.
• Respondents claimed that raising user fees would NOT induce them out of their cars, but research indicates that price DOES matter even though people may not admit it in a survey. For example, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that a 46 cents per gallon increase in the gas tax would yield a 10 percent decrease in gasoline consumption.
• A majority of respondents support reallocating car lanes to shared bus and freight use (61%)
• Overwhelming support for employer programs that encourage flex time, telecommuting, carpool, transit, cycling, and walking (85%)
• People's favorite idea to change the current system to make it fairer: Change the gas tax so that it can fund all modes (66%)

Complete Survey Results

Click here if you want to see the complete results of our survey, including the questions we asked as well as percentages and graphs of responses.