Transportation needs of rural residents surveyed
Rural residents can help shape the future of transportation services in their communities by participating in a survey being conducted by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).
“We need to hear from the people in our rural communities,” said Gary Gallegos, SANDAG executive director. “This information will help us quantify the needs and identify them in our plans. So, when funding does become available, projects and services that meet these needs will be eligible for the money.”
Data gathered by the Rural Transportation Survey will be analyzed and incorporated into the SANDAG Coordinated Plan, which identifies mobility needs in the county from a passenger perspective and focuses on transportation for seniors, persons with disabilities, reverse-commute trips, and employment-related transportation for persons with limited means.
SANDAG is revising the Coordinated Plan to more fully represent rural areas by thoroughly evaluating the mobility and access needs of rural residents. The input of rural residents will help to ensure that transportation projects sponsored by groups in rural San Diego County are eligible for federal, state, and local grant programs.
The survey, which is anonymous, asks 19 questions about transportation needs and concerns. It’s available online in English at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2010RuralSurvey and in Spanish at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2010EncuestaSobreTransporteRural. Or visit the SANDAG Web site at www.sandag.org/coordinatedplan.
SANDAG is actively circulating the survey among rural residents through various means, including service organizations, community liaisons and public outreach meetings.
Responses will be gathered through the end of April. Draft results will be made public in May during a series of public meetings. Final results will be included in the updated Coordinated Plan, which is expected to be ready for public review this fall.
SANDAG, a regional planning organization, is governed by a board of directors made up of mayors, council members and supervisors from each of the region’s 18 cities and the county government.