5 Points Intersection Survey Results

Many thanks to the 256 people who completed the survey.  The survey period closed on Friday, October 26, 2012.

As you know, we created this survey to help us better understand utilization of, and issues with, the intersection.   Below, you will find:

I. Overall conclusions
II. Conclusions by question
III. A link to the summary of responses, by question.

I. Overall conclusions:

Utilization:

There’s very little use by cyclists and pedestrians (80-99% of respondents never walk or cycle through the intersection from/to any direction).

The most popular use of the intersection is to go west from Lee toward Falls Church, followed by going south from Military to Quincy.

On cutting through neighborhoods:

When we evaluated results a few days before the survey period closed, we noticed that few people indicated they avoid the intersection – well, fewer than we expected after regularly witnessing avoidance of the intersection.  We found this data interesting.  We considered that might be for a few reasons:

  • It’s not neighborhood residents who actively avoid the intersection, but rather, commuters from other areas, or
  • People were embarrassed to admit it or thought the survey wasn’t anonymous (it is).
Maureen shared this finding with the listserve after we made a last announcement about the closing period, and a few of you commented that avoidance of the intersection is so ingrained by now that you do it unconsciously.  After these comments were shared, the last twenty-five or so respondents altered the overall findings, and we now see more avoidance in the numbers.  We therefore conclude that if consciousness had been heightened prior to anyone completing the survey, avoidance numbers probably would have been higher.

On encouraging more pedestrians and cyclists to use the intersection:

More people would walk or bike through the intersection if there were more cross walks, more fun destination points/retail, or a longer walk light.

II. Conclusions (by question):

1. What neighborhood do you live in?

  • 180 of 256 respondents live in Cherrydale.  58 live in Waverly Hills.  Small numbers live in other nearby areas.
2. How often do you travel NORTH on Quincy Street into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few enter the intersection this way on foot, and even fewer on bike.
  • Most people enter the intersection from Quincy in order to turn right onto Lee Hwy or go straight across to Military Rd.
3. How often do you travel EAST (toward DC) on Old Lee Hwy into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few enter the intersection this way on foot, and even fewer on bike.
  • Very few enter the intersection from Old Lee in order to take a sharp left onto Old Dominion.
  • Most people enter the intersection this way to go straight onto Lee Hwy or to turn right onto Quincy St.
4. How often do you travel SOUTH on Military Road into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few enter the intersection this way on foot, and even fewer on bike.
  • 70-80% of respondents enter the intersection from Military Road.  Our guess is because it is more difficult to avoid the intersection when traveling south.
  • The most popular route is to continue across to Quincy St.
5. How often do you travel WEST (toward Falls Church) on Lee Hwy into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Of all directional movement via bike or on foot, this was the least popular.
  • This was the most popular use of the intersection by car.  While all directions are popular (left to Quincy, left to Old Lee, across to Old Dominion, right to Military Rd), the most popular was continuing on to Old Dominion.
6. How often do you CUT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS rather than travel NORTH on Quincy Street into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few cyclists or pedestrians avoid the intersection (nor, as we saw in previous questions, do they tend to use it).
  • 40-60% of respondents avoid the intersection.  The most popular routes they avoid are to turn left onto Old Lee or to turn right onto Lee.
7.  How often do you CUT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS rather than travel EAST (toward DC) on Old Lee Hwy into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few cyclists or pedestrians avoid the intersection (nor, as we saw in previous questions, do they tend to use it).
  • 40% of respondents cut through neighborhoods rather than going straight to Lee or turning right to Quincy.
8.  How often do you CUT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS rather than travel SOUTH on Military Road into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few cyclists or pedestrians avoid the intersection (nor, as we saw in previous questions, do they tend to use it).
  • 75-82% of respondents say they do not cut through to avoid the intersection when traveling from this direction.  This is consistent with the conclusions we drew from question #4.
9.  How often to do you CUT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS rather than travel WEST (toward Falls Church) on Lee Hwy into the 5 Points Intersection?

  • Few cyclists or pedestrians avoid the intersection (nor, as we saw in previous questions, do they tend to use it).
  • 75-85% of respondents say they do not cut through to avoid the intersection when traveling in this direction, but the most popular direction to avoid is to turn left onto Quincy.
10.  What would make you more likely to traverse the 5 Points Intersection on foot or by bike?

  • The top three choices (50-60% of respondents chose these) were:  More cross walks,  More fun destination points/retail, Longer walk light
III.  The data.

The data (by question) can be found here:
surveysummary_10292012.pdf
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