Perhaps members of Congress should have performed double-duty with their town hall meetings this summer.
State representatives and senators are using the public forums to gauge the feelings on health care reform. But voters also have a lot to say about the next long-term highway bill. According to a recent America THINKS survey conducted by HNTB Corp., 57% of Americans believe the current federal gas tax is no longer sufficient to properly maintain the nation’s roads and bridges. Back in January, 51% said the tax was weakening.
The research also reveals that Americans are willing to pay for a stronger infrastructure network. More than 67% of the respondents indicated they would be willing to spend more money on tolls, taxes or public transit fares if the funds were geared toward long-term transportation improvements in their area.
However, even though most think the federal gas tax is broken, a majority still do not think increasing the fee is the answer. Only 36% support such a move, with most preferring an increase in tolls (52%) or public transportation fares (45%).
“While the stimulus was a start, America needs a long-term vision of its transportation future,” said Paul Yarossi, president of HNTB Holdings Ltd. “By addressing the problem through workable funding solutions we will be able to generate jobs as well as improve the stability of our mobility and our economy. Let’s stop talking and start looking at all the options to find the right combination.”
Looking at the tolling preference a little further, a strong 82% of survey respondents believe the mechanism should be used on a project-by-project basis or as the primary source of transportation revenue, and almost 68% support adding high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes to existing highways
