Pedestrian Traffic Study Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Fall 2006

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Pedestrian Traffic StudyPittsburgh Downtown
PartnershipFall 2006
Prepared by STRATEGIC METRICS
GROUP www.strategicmetricsgroup.com
412.480.4332
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SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• Traffic volume varies greatly across the 8
  locations. The daily average traffic count is
  4,557 pedestrians with the highest count on
  Smithfield and the lowest at Market Square
  (Clock).
• Saturday traffic (1,847) is significantly less
  than weekday (5,755).
• Those working downtown comprise the majority
  (59) of the pedestrian base.
• Pedestrians spend an average of 47 a week
  downtown
• - Retail 19 - Food 24 - Services 4
• Downtown residents are a small, but important
  group. While small in number (just 3 of
  pedestrian base), residents spend substantially
  more downtown than all other pedestrian groups.

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SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• Downtown spending habits differ by location,
  creating hot (10th Penn) and cool spots
  (Smithfield) of pedestrian purchasing potential.
• Market Square is viewed unfavorably by most
  pedestrians. Two major barriers, safety concerns
  cleanliness, have to be recognized and resolved
  first, for Market Square to flourish and grow
  into a vibrant downtown destination.
• 60 of pedestrians are aware of PDP. Most
  identify PDP with either cleaning, improving,
  developing, or promoting downtown. Asked for
  their overall impression of PDP, pedestrian
  remarks are largely positive
• 70 Positive
• 21 Neutral
• 9 Negative

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• Methodology and Sampling
• Pedestrian Traffic Data
• Pedestrian Survey Findings
• Location Pedestrian Profiles
• Key Findings Summary

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WHO WAS COUNTED AND SURVEYED
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EIGHT TARGET LOCATIONSSTUDIED IN TWO PHASES
Surveying and counting were both conducted
throughout entire 12 hour day (700 AM to 700
PM).
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COUNTERS REFERENCE POINT AT EACH LOCATION
In most cases the reference points are located in
the middle of a block. Both sides of the street
were counted except for 5th Ave. (Buhl), due to
construction.
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• Methodology and Sampling
• Pedestrian Traffic Data
• Pedestrian Survey Findings
• Location Pedestrian Profiles
• Key Findings Summary

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TOTAL PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC COUNT8 Locations
n 109,356
of Pedestrians
Time of Day
A total of 109,356 pedestrians were counted over
the entire project. Peak volume times include 8
AM, 5 PM, and the lunch or mid-day hour.
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TOTAL COUNT BY LOCATION3 Day Pedestrian Totals
Overall Location Average 13,670
of Pedestrians
3 day totals vary dramatically by specific
location. Smithfield at Sbarro Macys sees the
bulk of the traffic counted across the 8
locations.
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PERCENT OF TOTAL TRAFFIC 3 DAY TOTALS BY
LOCATION
All 8 locations counted for 3 days each.
Smithfield at Sbarro and Macys sees
one-quarter of all observed traffic.
Market Square varies greatly by location. PPG
(egress) sees 3 times more traffic than the PPG
clock.
n 109,356
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AVERAGE DAILY COUNT BY LOCATIONMean Number of
Pedestrians
Overall Daily Location Average 4,557
of Pedestrians
Each location average is based on a 3 day average
2 weekdays and a Saturday.
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AVERAGE DAILY COUNT 2006 and 2001Mean Number of
Pedestrians Per Day
2001 study only counted weekday traffic.
In 01 and 06 these 4 locations were counted In
late September..
of Pedestrians
Heavy 06 construction
Smithfield shows a drop in traffic, while Penn
and Liberty have risen. 5th Avenue is
problematic for comparison purposes due to the
major construction and closing of the sidewalk in
2006.
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AVERAGE COUNT BY DAY OF WEEKMean Number of
Pedestrians
Overall Daily Location Average 4,557 Weekday
5,755 Weekend 1,847
of Pedestrians
Wednesday and Friday were the heaviest days for
pedestrian traffic. Note that Wednesday was
sunny, and the warmest of all days in this study.
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LOCATION SUMMARY
Smithfield is the busiest location of the 8
studied.
MS PPG, 10th Liberty, and 5th Ave. are
highly traveled with similar pedestrian volume.
Note Each location sampled for 3 days. Average
Count Total divided by 3.
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SUMMARY OF PEDESTRIAN COUNTSDAY by LOCATION RAW
COUNTS

Weekday traffic drives the volume in downtown.
The Smithfield location sees the heaviest
pedestrian traffic.
Traffic at the two Market Square locations is
very different. The low clock traffic (center
of square) is indicative of people not
walking through Market Square. Pedestrians walk
the perimeter or stay in one area.
n 109,356
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COUNT OF ALL TRAFFIC
n 109,356
Note NC not counted. Phase 1 counted on
Wed., Phase 2 on Thur..
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PERCENT OF ALL TRAFFIC
n 109,356
Note NC not counted. Phase 1 counted on
Wed., Phase 2 on Thur..
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PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC COUNT SUMMARY

• 8 downtown locations are each studied across a 3
  day period.
• The study period includes 2 weekdays and a
  Saturday.
• Counting is conducted from 700 AM to 700 PM.
• 109,356 pedestrians are counted in the study.
• An average of 4,557 pedestrians cross a given
  location in the 12 hour period. Average daily
  counts by location range from a high of 9,300
  (Smithfield) to a low of 1,500 at the Market
  Square Clock.

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PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC COUNT SUMMARY

• Of the 4 days studied, Friday is the heaviest day
  of the week (9,000 daily per location).
• Saturday is by far the slowest day for
  pedestrians (less than 2,000 daily per location).
• As expected, the daily traffic volume is
  dispersed symmetrically with an early AM rush
  hour peak, a large lunch hour spike, and an early
  evening peak at the PM rush hour.

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PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Methodology and Sampling
• Pedestrian Traffic Data
• Pedestrian Survey Findings
• Location Pedestrian Profiles
• Key Findings Summary

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PURPOSE OF PEDESTRIAN VISIT
Q1. Which one of the following best describes
your primary reason for being in downtown today?
Those working downtown varies by location.
n 808
Nearly 6 in 10 randomly sampled pedestrians are
in downtown for work.
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TYPE OF PEDESTRIAN SUMMARY
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
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FREQUENCY OF PEDESTRIAN VISIT
Q2. Which best describes how often you walk past
this location?
n 802
One in three pedestrians pass the location
multiple times per day.
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VISIT PURPOSE SUMMARY

• The largest block of pedestrians surveyed (59)
  are downtown because they work downtown. Special
  Visitors (11) and Students (10) comprise the
  second largest block of downtown pedestrians.
• Business visitors (9), Shoppers (8), and
  Residents (3) comprise the third, and smallest
  group of pedestrians.
• 7th Avenue (Gulf) and Strawberry Way (Weiner
  World) see more work force pedestrians than the
  other 6 locations. Market Square Clock and
  Market Square PPG (National City) see the lowest
  percentage of downtown work force pedestrians.

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VISIT FREQUENCY SUMMARY

• Half of those surveyed walk by the location once
  a day or more. One-third pass by the location
  multiple times per day.
• The number of repeated passes pedestrians make
  past a location is linked to the purpose of the
  downtown visit.
• Downtown workers and residents make more frequent
  and repeated passes by locations than all other
  groups.
• Shoppers and Special Visitors (Dining, Theatre,
  Sporting Event) make the lowest number of passes
  by a location.

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DOLLARS SPENT - DOWNTOWN RETAILAmount Spent in a
Typical Week
Q5a. In a typical week, how many dollars do you
spend with downtown retailers (such as Macys,
etc.)?
Overall Average 18.55
Of those who spend at least 1 39.85

• Do NOT
• Spend

n 812
Half of all pedestrians do not commonly patronize
downtown retailers. 25 spend over 20 with
retailers in a typical week.
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DOLLARS SPENT ON - FOOD/BEVERAGEAmount Spent in
a Typical Week
Q5b. In a typical week, how many dollars do you
spend on food and beverage downtown?
Average 24.44
Of those who spend at least 1 31.40

• Do NOT
• Spend

n 812
8 of 10 pedestrians commonly patronize downtown
establishments for food and drink. 37 spend
over 20 on these items in a typical week.
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DOLLARS SPENT ON SERVICESAmount Spent in a
Typical Week
Q5c. In a typical week, how many dollars do you
spend on downtown services (dry cleaning, salons,
etc.)?
Average 3.67
Of those who spend at least 1 20.00

• Do NOT
• Spend

n 812
2 in 10 pedestrians regularly utilize and pay for
downtown services.
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SPENDING SUMMARY BY LOCATIONAverage Spent in a
Typical Week
47
Average Spent Per Category Per Week Retail
19 Food 24 Services 4
62.
54.
51.
49.
43.
45.
34.
34.
Average Total Spent Per Week 47
n 812
Surveyed pedestrians spend an average of 47
downtown in a typical week. Cultural District
respondents report higher spending habits.
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SPENDING BY TYPE OF PEDESTRIANAverage Spent in a
Typical Week
Average Spent Per Category Per Week Retail
19 Food 24 Services 4
114
60
46
46
36
35
Average Total Spent Per Week 47
n 808
Residents spend significantly more in downtown
than the other groups.
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PEDESTRIAN ECONOMICS Weekly Scenario
Pedestrians at The 8 locations spend an estimated
total of 1.6M weekly.
Respondents at Penn Liberty spend more,
and drive up the total dollar expenditure at
these locations.
Pedestrians pass- ing through / into Market
Square report strong weekly spending. This is
good news for new potential retail vendors who
arrive via redevelopment.
Using the average pedestrian count of each
location, and average per person weekly
expenditures, a weekly total dollar volume can be
estimated.
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TRAFFIC VOLUME versus DOLLAR VOLUMEWeekly
Scenario
Cool Spot
Hot Spot
Hot Spot
n 812
The variation in personal spending across the 8
locations creates traffic-dollar volume
differentials. Smithfield under-spends its
traffic, while Penn and Liberty over-spend their
respective traffic.
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SUMMARY OF PEDESTRIAN ECONOMICS

• On a weekly basis, most pedestrians (78) spend
  money downtown on food beverages. Half spend
  money with retailers, and one-fifth spend on
  personal services.
• Weekly expenditures with downtown businesses
  differ markedly by type of pedestrian (purpose),
  and by the location pedestrians frequent.
• Average Weekly Retail Expenditure 19
• Average Weekly Food/Bev Expenditure 24
• Average Weekly Services Expenditure 4

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SUMMARY OF PEDESTRIAN ECONOMICS

• Pedestrians surveyed on Penn and Liberty (near
  10th) report the highest expenditures. Those at
  Strawberry Way and Smithfield report spending the
  least.
• On a weekly basis, Residents report spending more
  per person in downtown than any other group. At
  114, Residents spend twice as much, or more,
  than most others surveyed.
• Based upon reported spending habits, the addition
  of 1 downtown Resident is more valuable to
  downtown businesses than any 1 other type of
  pedestrian.

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SUMMARY OF PEDESTRIAN ECONOMICS

• An integrated analysis of traffic volume and
  dollar volume reveals both hot and cool spots
  in downtown.
• Hot Spots are places where of total dollars
  spent exceeds of total traffic volume.
• 10th Penn and 10th Liberty
• Cool Spots are places where of total dollars
  spent is less than of total traffic volume.
• Smithfield (Sbarro / Macys) and Strawberry Way

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SUMMARY OF PDP IDENTITY PERCEPTIONS

• The associations linked to PDP by pedestrians are
  very positive and, for the most part, factually
  correct.
• Slightly over half (52) identify PDP with
  Cleaning or Developing Improving - Promoting
  Downtown.
• 70 hold a favorable, positive impression of PDP.
  21 report neutral comments, while the balance
  of 9 holds a less than favorable impressions.
• Most of the neutral comments are actually skewed
  positively towards PDP they need more
  budget/money and they are trying but it is a
  struggle to do this work.

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• PERCEPTIONS
• of
• MARKET SQUARE

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MARKET SQUARE IDENTITY
Q7. When I say Market Square, what is the
first thing that comes to mind?
HARSH FACTS ARE FRIENDLY 4 of the 5 top
responses are very negative. These issues are
basic problems that must be solved NOW, as a
first step to any Market Square
redevelopment plan or initiative.
Mentions lt 1 account for 5 of all responses but
are not shown on this chart.
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IMPROVING MARKET SQUARE
Q8. What would help make Market Square a more
interesting and appealing place for you to visit?
Core Improvements Half of the suggested
improvements refer directly to safety,
cleanliness, and the drug/criminal element.
Other Improvements More events,
shops, restaurants, grocery / markets.
Mentions lt 1 account for 3 of all responses but
are not shown on this chart.
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MARKET SQUARE SUMMARY

• 2 core problems are currently hurting Market
  Squares image and potential to be a thriving,
  vibrant downtown destination
• SAFETY and CLEANLINESS
• The first step of any redevelopment plan must
  include the recognition and resolution of these
  very basic, yet very important concerns.
• Some respondents do identify and describe Market
  Square in more positively HISTORIC, SOCIAL
  GATHERING, ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON.
• The improvements cited by respondents reinforce
  the safety and cleanliness issues. In addition,
  more shops, restaurants, and markets will make
  Market Square more appealing.

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SMG OBSERVATIONSOF MARKET SQUARE

• SMG interviewers and traffic counters spent a
  total of 36 hours in Market Square over the
  course of 3 days. The Director of Operations and
  the President both spent time over the course of
  the 3 days in Market Square as well.
• SMG believes their unique, 12 hour-a-day, on the
  ground perspective is noteworthy
• SMG interviewers and counters were threatened and
  told to leave by people hanging around Market
  Square
• Very small police presence
• Aggressive pan-handling
• Alcohol and drug use
• Avoidance of certain areas of the square
• At dusk (630-645 PM) the above problems
  intensify
• In sum, SMGs field team, staff, and senior team
  were surprised with the conditions of the area,
  and the lack of law enforcement.

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PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Methodology and Sampling
• Pedestrian Traffic Data
• Pedestrian Survey Findings
• Location Pedestrian Profiles
• Key Findings Summary

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DEMOGRAPHICS ALL RESPONDENTS
AGE GROUP
INCOME
GENDER
PARTY SIZE
8 in 10 respondents are 54 or younger. 6 in 10
make less than 50K. Slightly more males. Almost
8 in 10 respondents are walking alone (solo).
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CHARACTERISTICS OF 8 LOCATIONS
As expected, age and income levels appear to be
related.
The 2 youngest, lowest Income groups spend 34
45 79 per week downtown. The 2 oldest groups
spend a total of 111.
The highest traffic locations, Smithfield and MS
PPG, are also the 2 youngest locations. The 2
Market Square locations skew to a younger age
with an average/above average weekly spending
pattern.
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PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Methodology and Sampling
• Pedestrian Traffic Data
• Pedestrian Survey Findings
• Location Pedestrian Profiles
• Key Findings Summary

47
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• Traffic volume varies greatly across the 8
  locations. The daily average traffic count is
  4,557 pedestrians with the highest count on
  Smithfield and the lowest at Market Square
  (Clock).
• Saturday traffic (1,847) is significantly less
  than weekday (5,755).
• Those working downtown comprise the majority
  (59) of the pedestrian base.
• Pedestrians spend an average of 47 a week
  downtown
• - Retail 19 - Food 24 - Services 4
• Downtown residents are a small, but important
  group. While small in number (just 3 of
  pedestrian base), residents spend substantially
  more downtown than all other pedestrian groups.

48
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• Downtown spending habits differ by location,
  creating hot (10th Penn) and cool spots
  (Smithfield) of pedestrian purchasing potential.
• Market Square is viewed unfavorably by most
  pedestrians. Two major barriers, safety concerns
  cleanliness, have to be recognized and resolved
  first, for Market Square to flourish and grow
  into a vibrant downtown destination.
• 60 of pedestrians are aware of PDP. Most
  identify PDP with either cleaning, improving,
  developing, or promoting downtown. Asked for
  their overall impression of PDP, pedestrian
  remarks are largely positive
• 70 Positive
• 21 Neutral
• 9 Negative