Most Americans support usage fees to pay for transportation infrastructure

Nearly two-thirds of Americans would support the use of road-usage fee options such as vehicle miles travelled or mileage-based user fees to help fund transportation costs, according to a new America Thinks national public opinion survey conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of infrastructure firm HNTB Corporation. The survey, Transportation Mobility 2016, also found that close to 170 million Americans (69 per cent) agree priced managed lanes should be considered when making improvements to US highways.
April 29, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

Nearly two-thirds of Americans would support the use of road-usage fee options such as vehicle miles travelled or mileage-based user fees to help fund transportation costs, according to a new America Thinks national public opinion survey conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of infrastructure firm 6278 HNTB Corporation.

The survey, Transportation Mobility 2016, also found that close to 170 million Americans (69 per cent) agree priced managed lanes should be considered when making improvements to US highways.

The online survey was conducted among 1,002 Americans aged 18 and over between 11 and 14 March 2016 using an e-mail invitation.   The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.

HNTB claims the survey’s findings show that more than half (55 per cent) of Americans believe funding to maintain and build the nation’s infrastructure of local roads bridges and tunnels over the next ten years should come from increased taxes, including gas taxes (24 per cent), sales taxes (20 per cent) and property taxes (11 per cent) versus user fees (45 per cent).

Similarly, for the funding of maintenance, additional lanes and safety improvements for the nation’s interstate highways, 56 per cent of Americans would prefer increased taxes, such as federal gas (28 per cent), sales (17 per cent), or property (10 per cent) taxes, over user fees.

The survey also found that 67 per cent of Americans who plan to buy or lease a vehicle see that availability and affordability of connected vehicle technologies would be important in their next vehicle, with 26 per cent who feel this is very important.  And, close to three-quarters (73 per cent) of 18-49 year olds agree that this technology is important versus 58 per cent of older Americans.

According to the survey, 30 per cent of Americans think the most valuable feature of public transportation is that it reduces traffic congestion due to less vehicles being on the road. Again, generational differences emerge, with more baby boomers and seniors than millennials and generation X (38 per cent versus 25 percent) agreeing that reduced congestion is the best benefit of public transportation.

In addition, 31 per cent of Americans believe the best way to reduce congestion on roadways is by providing more public transportation choices, with more Americans ages 50-68 than those 18-49 (36 per cent versus 28 per cent) in agreement.

Charging, Tolling & RUC

Related Content

  • May 27, 2022
    'More rail and transport equity', say Americans
    WSP research suggests people want more say in how $1 trillion Infrastructure Act cash is spent
    Read More
  • March 27, 2015
    Australia’s Transurban to trial road user charging
    Speaking at a major industry forum, Scott Charlton, CEO of Australian toll roads operator, Transurban, said that the country’s major cities risk a decline in liveability without major investment in transport systems and an overhaul of transport funding model. Charlton said that despite significant progress by state governments traditional funding systems were outdated, unsustainable and unfair, and cannot sustain the funding needed to address Australia’s transport infrastructure deficit. Charlton said it
    Read More
  • August 30, 2017
    New study: public continues to be wary of driverless cars
    The majority of people (66 per cent) would be uncomfortable travelling in a driverless car at 70mph, according to a new study of 2,053 members of the public, carried out by ICM Unlimited on behalf of the UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The news follows last week’s announcement that the Government has awarded a contract to TRL to test platoons of driverless lorries on major British roads by the end of next year. According to the findings, younger people tend to be more accepting of the technology, wi
    Read More
  • June 14, 2018
    Road pricing is inevitable – because the ‘user pays’ principle is fair
    We pay for roads through our taxes: the poor pay proportionately more, and effectively subsidise the rich. It would be fairer to accept the ‘user pays’ principle, says Dr John Walker. Road pricing is already used worldwide to combat congestion and pollution, to compensate for falling revenues from fuel duty (‘gas tax’), to provide an alternative (and fairer) means of charging motorists than the 80-year old fuel tax and to improve the efficiency of and expand transport infrastructure. However, it could and s
    Read More

Highlighted Content