The Ada County Highway District gained valuable insight into the views of Ada County residents with the help of a community survey
Boise State, along with GS Strategy Group, conducted a phone and online survey focusing on the District and the future of Ada County's roadways. The survey results show the majority of residents have an overall favorable view of ACHD and approve of the job the District does within Ada County.
The numbers also show that in general, residents feel confident in the safety and quality of roads. 88% of those surveyed rated the quality of Ada County roads as excellent, good or fair. 90% of those surveyed rated the safety of Ada County's roads as excellent, good or fair.
The survey results also shed light on residents' thoughts on growth and how it impacts Ada County roads with 72% of those surveyed rating traffic in Ada County as "very heavy" or "heavy."
On the topic of reducing congestion, residents were asked whether they prefer having roads shut down and traffic rerouted in order to complete a project faster and cheaper, even if it causes greater congestion. 51% of those surveyed preferred the road to be closed, compared to 38% who said they would prefer traffic to be routed through the project, even if it takes longer and costs more, in order to reduce congestion.
When asked which would do the most to improve traffic and reduce congestion in Ada County, 68% said building new roads and expanding current roadways, compared to 25% who said maintaining and repairing existing roads.
The results show roadway expansion to be top of mind for residents. When asked what the top spending priority at ACHD should be, 47% said roadway expansion, followed by 15% saying roadway maintenance. The survey also asked what they think would do the most to increase safety, regardless of what should be the top spending priority. 47% said roadway expansion, followed by 15% saying intersection improvements. When asked what would do the most to improve traffic and reduce congestion, 47% said roadway expansion, followed by 15% saying intersection improvements.
The survey expanded beyond transportation, gauging the community's overall priorities and concerns. Nearly 50% named affordable housing as the most important issue facing Ada County right now. In second place was the rate of growth, with 26% saying it is the most important issue.
Half of the survey participants indicated that property taxes are too high. 33% said they are about right and 2% said property taxes are too low. Those who have lived in Ada County more than 10 years were more likely to rate property taxes as too high than those who have lived in the area for less than 10 years. Additionally, 63% of those surveyed would oppose an increase in property taxes in Ada County to fund increased spending on road maintenance and construction.
As the District heads into the budget season, Commissioners were pleased to see that the majority of participants indicated they trust ACHD to spend their tax dollars wisely. The majority also agreed that what ACHD spends on Capital Projects and community projects is "about right."
"We're very appreciative of the work that Boise State has done in lending their expertise to provide a clear, scientifically valid overview of what the residents of Ada County think," said ACHD Commission President Mary May. "Gaining additional insight into the attitudes of our constituents helps better inform our decisions - especially as we head into our budget season."
In a separate effort, ACHD Commissioners also gained insight into the District's prioritization process, where it falls in line with best practices nationwide and how it can be improved. Prioritization is one component to determine projects for the Integrated Five Year Work Plan (IFYWP).
In August 2021, the Commission directed staff to review ACHD's current Integrated Five Year Work Plan Project Prioritization Methodology to see if it aligns with practices nationwide.
Consultant Fehr and Peers started examining the methodology in January, and have since met with staff and stakeholders, along with other agencies to get a deep understanding of the District's current practice.
When comparing ACHD to other agencies, they found that other agencies use similar measures to what ACHD uses when it comes to project prioritization.
Staff will be working throughout the summer on the recommendations from Fehr and Peers to improve the process of prioritization, which include focusing on increasing transparency and improving and simplifying the current methodology.
"The District is always evolving and looking to build upon our successes in how we do business," said President May. "It's important to keep a continuous pulse on our community and we appreciate this valuable feedback from both our community members and industry experts."