This study was commissioned by the City of Sedona. The primary purpose of this effort was to determine how Sedona residents and businesses feel about the City taking over ownership of the State Route 89Ain west Sedona from the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The information contained in this report is based on a two-phased research effort conducted in January 2011 which was comprised of a Sedona Resident Survey and a Sedona Business Survey. The Residents Survey consisted of 240 telephone interviews with Sedona heads of household. Respondent selection on this project phase was accomplished via a computer-generated random digit dial telephone sample which selects households based on residential telephone prefixes and includes all unlisted and new listed households [but not cellphone-only households, which some allege would include younger families]….
The Business Survey consisted of 173 interviews with Sedona business owners/managers using primarily a mail survey methodology and a commercially purchased database which was screened for businesses located approximately within the study area bounded by the “Y” roundabout and Red Rock High School. The mail survey was supplemented with telephone surveys in order to bring the final sample up to a minimum of 170 complete interviews.
The study offered a confidence level of 95 percent. In other words, it had a margin of error of plus or minus five points, potentially offering a spread of 10 points. However, a five point margin of error is an acceptable standard for this type of study.
The study was conducted in January. Recent public educatio0n was December through February.
89A Transfer Survey Questions – Residential
Hello, my name is and I’m with the Behavior Research Center of Arizona. We’re conducting a survey for the City of Sedona on city transportation issues and I’d like to speak with you for a few minutes.
A. Is your residence located within the Sedona city limits? IF YES: CONTINUE IF NO: THANK AND TERMINATE
B. And are you the (male/female) head of your household? IF YES: CONTINUE IF NO: ASK TO SPEAK WITH MALE/ FEMALE HEAD, RE-INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND CONTINUE. IF NONE AVAILABLE, ARRANGE CALLBACK.
1. To begin, the City of Sedona is currently in discussions with the Arizona Department of Transportation about the City taking over ownership of State Route 89A in west Sedona. This process is called a rou
te transfer. Would you say you know a lot, some, only a little or nothing at all about this proposed route transfer?
Three out of four Sedona residents (74%) and nine out of ten Sedona businesses (90%) indicate they know at least a little about the proposed route transfer. Twenty-six percent of residents and only ten percent of businesses indicate they know nothing at all about the issue.
Put another way, 49% of residents and 31% of business owners said they knew little to nothing about the route transfer.
2. The route transfer being discussed involves the portion of State Route 89A between approximately the “Y” roundabout and Red Rock High School and includes a small portion of SR 179 from the “Y” to Ranger Road. The route transfer is being discussed as an alternative to ADOT’s proposed solution 
to pedestrian, vehicular and bicycle safety issues on SR 89A. ADOT’s proposed solution is to install continuous roadway lighting along SR 89A similar to the decorative style on SR 179, to install a traffic signal at Andante Drive and to repave with bike lanes. The Sedona City Council believes that these solutions do not address safety issues during the daytime and that there are other solutions that provide a higher degree of overall safety. Do you strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree or strongly disagree with the City Council’s position?
It may be possible some respondents misunderstood the question that seemed to ask, ‘Are you in favor of lights similar to those on 179?’ Technically, one could argue, the question literally asks ‘similar to the decorative style on SR 179.’ However, the subject is ‘solution,’ and the object is ‘lighting.’ So it’s possible ‘lighting’ rather than ‘decorative’ is what some people would be thinking.’
A plurality of Sedona residents (46%) agree with the Council’s position that ADOT’s SR 89A solution does not adequately address safety issues during the daytime and that there are other solutions that provide a higher degree of overall safety – 35 percent disagree. Sedona businesses are far less likely than residents to agree with the Council’s position with 32 percent indicating they agree and 53 percent indicating they disagree.
Relative Pole Height
However, it is important to respond in detail to one major misrepresentation: the comparison of the proposed SR 89A continuous roadway lights and those on SR 179.When one Board member asked if these lights are the same as SR 179 and Uptown, John Harper and Seth Chalmers, a consultant, said “yes”. That is far from the truth. from Sedona Eye, formerly Sedona Times
3. If the route transfer is approved and the City takes control of the highway, ADOT will provide the City with approximately 15 and a half million dollars in financial support to take over operation of SR 89A. These funds should be sufficient to cover annual operations and maintenance cost for a 15-year period and allow for the installation of a signal at Andante Drive and the installation of marked bicycle lanes. Funding will also cover additional City-installed improvements identified by an engineering firm for consideration. These improvements include: 1) installation of raised medians and pedestrian barriers to prevent random pedestrian crossings at two locations; 2) lighted pedestrian crossings; and, 3) additional signage. When ADOT’s funding expires after 15 years the City will become financially responsible for SR 89A.Based on this information, which of the following options do you prefer? Having ADOT continue to own and operate SR 89A and install its proposed safety improvements, or approving the route transfer and having the City own and operate SR 89A and install its proposed safety improvements? Why do you prefer that option? (PROBE)
4. Next, I’d like to read to you some statements that have been made about the SR 89A improvements that are being discussed. As I do, please tell me if you strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree or strongly disagree with each one. (ROTATE).
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- Medians will impede the flow of traffic and make travel more difficult.
- Street lights will have a negative impact on the night sky.
- Medians will increase highway safety.
- Street lights will make drivers and pedestrians safer at night.
- Medians will limit access to businesses and neighborhoods.
- Street lights will increase business activity in the evening on SR 89A because people will feel safer walking and driving at night
- Medians may result in less business for merchants on SR 89A.
- Street light poles will negatively impact views on 89A during the daytime.
- Medians may have a positive impact on traffic flow.
- Street lights may have negative impacts on tourism because of their impact on night sky viewing.
- Medians may result in more business for merchants on SR 89A.
- Lighted pedestrian crossings will increase public safety on SR 89A
Now before I finish, I need a couple of pieces of information about yourself for classification purposes only. First, which of the following categories comes closest to your age? (READ EACH EXCEPT REFUSED)
- Under 35…1
- 35 to 54…2
- 55 or over…3
- (DO NOT READ) Refused…4
And how many years have you lived in the City of Sedona? YEARS ______
Thank you very much, that completes this interview. My supervisor may want to call you to verify that I conducted this interview so may I have your first name in order that he/she may do so? (VERIFY PHONE NUMBER)
