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Tyler community survey helps prioritize projects

The top concerns from the survey include traffic congestion, employment opportunities, and public safety.

TYLER — The city of Tyler mailed out the 2018 Community Survey to random households in August.

About 400 returned the survey, which the city says will help establish resident-driven priorities for infrastructure, parks, recreation facilities, programs and services within the community.

"This really tells us what our citizens on average think about the city, either perceptions or desires and it helps us move forward," Heather Nick, the Tyler managing director of planning and economic development, said.

While traffic was at the top of the list for citizen's concern, Nick says if the city didn't have congestion that would be a bigger concern.

"Nobody likes being stuck, but at the same time what that indicates to us is that we are a growing city," Nick explained.

Tyler City Services were also scored lower than they were in the last community survey done in 2015. Nick says the city asked the ETC Institute, who conducted the survey, why this was.

"So we asked our consultant about that and what they're saying is this is a national trend they're seeing this decrease in satisfaction nationwide," Nick said.

Now the city will focus on prioritizing projects for the upcoming master plan.

"So those areas were definitely going to target as we move through the comprehensive planning process," Nick explained.

While there were lower scores than years past, there were also some higher ones.

"You know it's not all bad news," Nick added. "We are setting the standard for several areas as far as quality of life, a place to retire, a place to raise children. So we know that while on a national trend you know cities are experiencing a decrease in satisfaction, but for Tyler we're setting the standard... We're above average for Texas, but the United States."

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