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How Do You Get Around Your Neighborhood?

There are lots of ways that track how people get to work, but what about trips we take around the city are not part of our daily commute, like running errands, going to the grocery store, meeting friends for coffee, heading out for a night out on the town?

SDOT uses Neighborhood Intercept Surveys to understand more about these “non-work trips.”  Intercept surveys are collected in our neighborhood business districts.

These survey results provide local business organizations and city departments with data to understand many variables including:

  • How often people visit neighborhood business districts
  • The purpose of their visit
  • How they got there (walking, driving, transit, biking, etc.)
  • If they drive, where they park
  • How travel patterns change over time, including use of emerging transportation options

To date, we’ve talked to 3,000 customers and visitors in ten different areas of the City since 2011. Below is a summary of the different ways people say they’ve traveled to get where they’re going in those neighborhoods.  See our website for much more information and results by neighborhood.

Seattle 2035 has a goal for 67% of non-work trips to be made by a mode other than driving alone by 2035.  This data shows we are close to that goal.  SDOT will be conducting more surveys this fall. Look for them while you’re out on the town!