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Rest Area User Survey

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Rest Area User Survey REST AREA USER SURVEY By Dan Blomquist Jodi Carson Research Assistant Senior Research Associate Of the Western Transportation Institute Civil Engineering Department Montana State University - Bozeman Prepared for the STATE OF MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Transportation Planning Division Special Studies December 1998 DISCLAIMER The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). Alternative accessible formats of this document will be provided upon request. Western Transportation Institute Page i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................. 2 1.1.2 Benefits ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Background......................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Literature Review................................................................................................................ 3 1.3.1 Travel and Demographic Characteristics.................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Rest Area Usage.......................................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Rest Area Conditions .................................................................................................. 5 1.3.4 Rest Area Amenities ................................................................................................... 6 1.3.5 Rest Area Locations.................................................................................................... 6 1.3.6 Implications for this Effort.......................................................................................... 7 2 Survey Methodology............................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Instrument Design............................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Administration .................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Survey Analysis................................................................................................................ 12 2.3.1 Ordered Probit Model ............................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Logit Model.............................................................................................................. 15 Western Transportation Institute Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Survey Results...................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Descriptive Statistics......................................................................................................... 18 3.1.1 Travel and Demographic Characteristics.................................................................. 18 3.1.2 Rest Area Usage........................................................................................................ 24 3.1.3 Rest Area Conditions ................................................................................................ 27 3.1.4 Rest Area Amenities ................................................................................................. 37 3.1.5 Rest Area Location, Accessibility and Safety........................................................... 59 3.2 Customer Segmentation Models....................................................................................... 66 3.2.1 Rest Area Conditions ................................................................................................ 66 3.2.2 Rest Area Amenities ................................................................................................. 74 3.2.3 Rest Area Location, Accessibility and Safety........................................................... 80 4 Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................................... 86 4.1 Rest Area Conditions ........................................................................................................ 86 4.2 Rest Area Improvement Priorities .................................................................................... 87 4.3 Rest Area Locations, Accessibility and Safety................................................................. 88 4.4 Implications for Long-range Rest Area Plan Update........................................................ 88 References......................................................................................................................................90 Appendices.....................................................................................................................................91 Western Transportation Institute Page iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Previous Rest Area Survey Experience ........................................................................... 4 Table 2. Survey Locations, Dates and Target Distributions ........................................................ 11 Table 3. Survey Locations, Dates, Target Distributions and Response Rates............................. 19 Table 4. Demographic Characteristics.......................................................................................... 20 Table 5. Travel Characteristics .................................................................................................... 22 Table 6. Primary Purpose for Stopping........................................................................................ 25 Table 7. Secondary Activities While Stopped ............................................................................. 26 Table 8. Level of Satisfaction with Facilities Ranking................................................................. 30 Table 9. Level of Satisfaction with Primary Use Facility............................................................ 31 Table 10. Level of Satisfaction with Secondary Use Facilities ................................................... 33 Table 11. Specific Areas for Improvement.................................................................................. 36 Table 12. Amenity Importance Ranking....................................................................................... 41 Table 13. Importance of Rest Area Aesthetics ............................................................................ 46 Table 14. Importance of Rest Area Children’s Facilities ............................................................ 46 Table 15. Importance of Rest Area Concessions......................................................................... 47 Table 16. Importance of Rest Area Dining Areas/Cooking Facilities......................................... 48 Table 17. Importance of Rest Area Parking.................................................................................. 49 Table 18. Importance of Rest Area Pet Facilities ......................................................................... 51 Western Transportation Institute Page iv LIST OF TABLES Table 19. Importance of Rest Area Restroom Facilities............................................................... 52 Table 20. Importance of Rest Area Safety/Assistance.................................................................. 53 Table 21. Importance of Rest Area Travel/Area Information....................................................... 54 Table 22. Desirable Private Development ................................................................................... 58 Table 23. Specific Accessibility Improvements .......................................................................... 63 Table 24. Overall Rest Area Rating.............................................................................................. 67 Table 25. Comparative Rest Area Rating ..................................................................................... 69 Table 26. Level of Satisfaction with Most Common Primary Use Facility – Use Toilet/Change Diaper............................................................................................................................................ 72 Table 27. Level of Satisfaction with Most Common Secondary Use Facility – Stretch/Walk .... 72 Table 28. Rest Area Recommendations........................................................................................ 73 Table 29. Rest Area Fee Endorsement.......................................................................................... 76 Table 30. Trashcan Importance..................................................................................................... 76 Table 31. Parking Lot/Pathway Lighting Importance.................................................................. 77 Table 32. Year-round Access to Restroom Facilities Importance ................................................ 77 Table 33. Sufficient Restroom Stalls Importance........................................................................
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