Transportation woes -- bad roads, congestion, construction and lack of mass transit -- are the No. 1 concern of Twin Cities residents, says the Metropolitan Council,  the agency that runs the bus service and light rail.

An annual survey found 36 percent of seven-county metro area residents identified transportation-related issues as the region’s “single most important problem.”

Next on the list: crime,  23 percent of respondents; then  the economy, the top concern of 11 percent of those surveyed.

The results differed, depending on where people live: Transportation was a bigger concern in the suburbs and rural areas; crime was cited more often in the central cities.

The survey questioned 1,500 people in October and November, and pollsters say there's a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Some other results:

• Nearly half of respondents (46 percent) indicated they already drive a more fuel-efficient vehicle or are very likely to do so. (I sure don't see that many Priuses out there.)
  
• 32 percent of residents said they have chosen congestion-reducing commuting options, including taking the bus or train, telecommuting, car- or van-pooling, working closer to home, and biking or walking. Another 24 percent said they are very likely to try these options. (Again, it sounds like folks are saying what they think the interviewer wants to hear.)
  
• 96 percent said the region is a better place to live than other metropolitan areas, up slightly from 2007. (Why did we rank so low on the national metropolitan survey released last week? Maybe we don't look good to outsiders.)
  
• 26 percent said the quality of life has declined over the previous year, an improvement from 2007, when 34 percent surveyed said the quality of life had declined.
  
• 39 percent said the parks, trails, and natural environment are the area’s most attractive features. Nine percent cited the variety of things to do, and 8 percent cited good neighborhoods.