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Council’s annual survey takes region’s pulse 

Crime, transportation are top concerns

Crime ranks as the No. 1 concern of metro area residents, but transportation and traffic congestion are a close second, according to the Metropolitan Council’s latest survey of metro area residents.

In the Council’s survey, 36 percent of area residents identified crime as the “single most important problem” facing the seven-county metro area, compared with 33 percent who listed transportation issues. The survey, conducted in the fall of 2006, marked the first time in the decade that crime edged ahead of transportation concerns.

Survey participants were also asked to name the top three problems facing the region. By that measure, transportation topped crime – 64 percent vs. 59 percent.

Crime increase translates into higher public concern

Preliminary figures released by the Department of Justice and FBI show that Minneapolis and St. Paul experienced 20 percent more violent crime in the first half of 2006 than during the same period in 2005.

“Concern about crime goes up in tandem with victimization,” said Council Research Manager Todd Graham. “People pay attention when crimes affect their friends, families or neighborhoods.”

The 33 percent of residents who listed transportation issues as the region’s most pressing concern is close to the 35 percent who did so in the Council’s 2005 survey, but down significantly from 2003, when 58 percent identified transportation as the biggest issue facing the region.

Drivers becoming accustomed to longer commutes

“Congestion hasn’t been cured, but has leveled off in recent years,” said Graham. “Some drivers have become accustomed to longer commutes — but they are still concerned.” And with good reason — a 2005 report from the Texas Transportation Institute found that the average Twin Cities commuter spends 43 hours per year stuck in traffic, and $722 in associated vehicle costs. Congestion also impacts area business costs, which were not measured in the study.

“Our region has made important strides toward improving our transit and transportation systems,” said Council Chair Peter Bell, “but much remains to be done.” The costs to improve roads and transit systems are significant, Bell explained, pointing to the $930 million price tag currently estimated for Central Corridor, the Council’s latest light rail project, expected to open in 2014.

“Sixty-one percent of the region’s voters said ‘yes’ to the Minnesota Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) amendment,” Bell continued. “We now have a dedicated source of revenue, but we must remember that MVST is only a first step — it must be combined with other state and federal funds.”

Residents love the outdoors

The Council also surveyed residents about what regional attractions or features they value most. Natural resources, including parks, trails, lakes and woods, were most popular and named by 34 percent. The arts, a variety of things to do, and good neighborhoods were also important to survey participants.

As they have throughout the survey’s 24-year history, residents continue to believe the region is “a better place to live than other metropolitan areas,” a statement confirmed by 97 percent of participants. Their perception of change was more volatile, however, with 32 percent believing that the quality of life diminished in the past year.

A significant minority of residents, 43 percent, said that regional growth is advancing too fast. A smaller but growing share, 36 percent, said their own community is growing too fast. As in past years, more than half of all residents surveyed said that both regional and local growth is happening at the right pace.   

The region is expected to grow by a million people between 2000 and 2030, through a combination of immigration and more births than deaths. Sixty-one percent of residents said growing diversity benefits the region — though many are concerned about assimilation, neighborhood tension and public resources to support newcomers.

Council gets highest job ratings to date

As for the Metropolitan Council, it received its highest performance approval ratings since first including the topic in 1997. Seventy-three percent of survey participants reported they have heard about the Council; 42 percent of that group said the Council is doing a very good or good job. Forty-three percent rated Council performance as fair, while just 15 percent reported dissatisfaction. The results are greatly improved from public opinion in 2000, when 19 percent of responses were good or very good and 35 percent poor or very poor.

Bell said the survey results confirm the Council’s priorities for regional planning and services.

“The Council will continue its focus on solving transportation challenges,” he said. “If the region wants to win jobs and investments in competition with other metropolitan areas, transportation is critical.

“During the next four years, we will continue to work to secure important pieces of the solution, including major transitways — like the Northstar Commuter Rail Line, Central Corridor Light Rail Transit, and Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit — and improvements to the design and efficiency of area roadways,” he said.

The Council mailed the survey to 3,300 residents in the metro area and received 1,422 valid responses by mail and phone interviews. The response rate, after excluding unlocatable addressees and disconnected phone numbers, was 51 percent. The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent.