Crime ranked as the ‘number 1’ concern of metro area residents in 2006, but transportation and traffic congestion were a close second, according to a survey by the Metropolitan Council.
In the Council’s annual survey, 36 percent of area residents identified crime as the “single most important problem” facing the seven-county metro area, and 49 percent included crime among the region’s top three problems. Forty-three percent of people who found crime most important wanted more police officers; 12 percent suggested tougher sentencing laws.
According to the survey, traffic congestion and other transportation issues remain critical concerns. Thirty-three percent of the respondents ranked transportation issues as the region’s single most important problem and 64 percent listed them among the top three problems facing the region. Half of those concerned (50 percent) suggested improvements to the region’s transit system, and 31 percent improvements to area roadways.
“A recent study showed the average Twin Cities commuter spends more than $700 on congestion-related costs each year,” said Council Chair Peter Bell. “That’s the equivalent of a week’s vacation – 43 hours – stuck in traffic. The impacts to business are even greater.”
In its survey, the Council also found: 97 percent of residents continue to believe the region is a better place to live than other metropolitan areas; 34 percent of residents regard parks, trails and natural areas as the region’s most attractive features, followed by 10 percent who list arts and culture; 36 percent of residents believe their community is growing too fast, while 57 percent say the pace of growth is about right.