5. PROGRAM EVALUATION (continued)

Residents were asked the question, “Compared to six months ago, how would you rate the speeds in your neighborhood?” They were offered the response categories of “much slower,” “a bit slower,” “the same,” “a bit faster,” and “much faster.” Responses are given in Table 50, which shows that respondents from both cities perceived a drop in speeds over the six months preceding the survey. Percentages in all of the categories changed in the desired direction – the perceptions of slower speeds increased, while those of the same speeds and those of faster speeds decreased.

Table 50 shows that, from pre-program to follow-on periods, there was an increase in the percentage of individuals who felt that speeds have decreased . The percentages increased from 18.3 percent to 48.3 percent in Phoenix and from 14.2 percent to 44.2 percent in Peoria . Over the same period, the percentages of individuals who felt that speeds remained the same decreased – from 46.0 percent to 37.9 percent in Phoenix and from 45.9 percent to 35.1 percent in Peoria . Finally, there was a decrease in the percentage of individuals who felt that speeds had increased . From pre-program to follow-on periods, these percentages decreased from 35.8 percent to 13.7 percent in Phoenix and from 40 percent to 20.7 percent in Peoria .

Table 48. Comments on Roadway Changes Made by Follow-On Survey Respondents by Neighborhood (Peoria)*

Table 49. Comments on Roadway Changes Made by Follow-On Survey Respondents by Neighborhood (Phoenix)*

Table 50. Rating of Neighborhood Speeds (Phoenix and Peoria)

 
Table 51 shows the speed ratings made by Peoria respondents as a function of neighborhood. The results for the three neighborhoods follow the pattern established for the city as a whole with the exception that proportionately more follow-on than pre-program Desert Harbor respondents felt that speeds remained the same. 

Table 51. Rating of Neighborhood Speeds by Neighborhood ( Peoria )

The ratings of perceived speed changes made by Phoenix respondents for each of their neighborhoods are shown in Table 52. With the exception of the Clarendon neighborhood, the results are significant and follow the pattern for the city as a whole. Clarendon showed no clear pattern across the two survey waves in their ratings of neighborhood speed. This is not inconsistent with the speed data discussed below and the fact that speed humps had been in place on Clarendon for some time before the program began.