 "Photo: File Photo")
A local organization released two surveys on traffic issues that Morgantown residents face every day.
The Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization developed one survey for the general population and another for employees and students of West Virginia University, said Bill Austin, executive director of Morgantown Monongalia MPO.
The purpose of these surveys was to find out what services people would use if provided throughout the city, he said.
"We are looking into many ways to help out the community from van pooling, carpooling, telecommuting, employer public transits, providing bicycles and much more," Austin said.
The results found the major priorities of most students and commuters are travel time (67 percent), travel convenience (48 percent) and safety (38 percent).
WVU students are most concerned with parking in Morgantown at 76 percent, the survey found.
The worst streets for traffic are Beechurst Avenue, University Avenue, High Street, Van Voorhis Street and the Mileground, Austin said.
Also, traffic is much worse during traffic delays in the afternoon than mornings, the survey stated.
Feedback that was
collected from both surveys represent about 4 percent of the population commuting into Morgantown, Austin said.
More than 2,605 surveys were used to analyze the data.
Once it was analyzed, MPO developed a project called Transportation Demand Management, Austin said.
"This project helps create a series of strategies to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and less congestion in the area," he said.
TDM provides many alternatives for commuters who want to avoid congestion while traveling, Austin said.
The University is also pushing to reduce traffic by encouraging alternate transportation.
"Take advantage of the Mountain Line or the PRT," said Hugh Kierig, director of Transportation and Parking Facilities and Services.
"Zipcars are available on campus now. You may rent them by the hour, (they are) relatively inexpensive and efficient for anyone."
Most students realize that the Downtown and Evansdale campuses have the most congestion, Kierig said.
"Downtown Campus by far is the worst," he said. "We conducted a study in 2008 in which we documented our parking demand by our supply. In order to meet our demand downtown, we would have to construct more than 1,300 parking spaces, which could not be possible at this time."
MPO has discussed alternatives for Morgantown for almost a year now.
"We are in the process of building local support from many large corporations," Austin said. "We hope to have everything finalized with the program early next year."
They are still figuring out specific amounts and details of the program, he said.
"My overall goal for this project is to create an alternative that makes people think of how to get around," Austin said.
"Developing faster ways of commuting, which will enhance the life of the community, and basic transportation."
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