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

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • IRD announces ‘record results’ for fiscal 2015
    February 23, 2016
    International Road Dynamics (IRD has announced record financial and operating results for the three and twelve months ended 30 November 2015. The company saw net earnings increased 85 per cent to US$1.8 (CA$2.5) million, with revenue up 29 per cent to US$42 (CA$58) million on growth in key geographic markets and product segments. EBITDA rose by 58 per cent on revenue growth and strong gross margin. "We generated record results in fiscal 2015, the result of strong growth in all of our major markets a
    Read More
  • TransCore to provide AET forOrange County toll roads
    April 17, 2013
    Toll roads in Orange County California are due to go cashless and all-electronic (AET) in the spring of 2014 according to an announcement from the Transportation Corridors Agencies (TCA) which has just has just approved a contracts with TransCore. The contract is for US$36.42 million and provides for provision of a new toll system that is regular AET mix of RFID transponder tolling and image based licence plate reads in an open road setting. TransCore will also maintain the system for ten years. A statement
    Read More
  • Rating agency Standard and Poor Tolling sees a bright future for tolling
    September 6, 2017
    Few disruptions appear on the horizon for global toll road operators, with the US poised to become a better bet for major investment, according to ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P’s) Global Ratings’ 2017 report, which rates toll road operators according to their ability to raise capital. The outlook is generally stable for business conditions and credit quality for toll roads worldwide. One positive exception is the US where the overall outlook is ‘positive’ as S&P expects traffic growth to increase
    Read More
  • Freight poses growing problem for city authorities
    March 3, 2017
    Wes Guckert considers possible solutions and countermeasures to the problems of increased freight deliveries in growing cities. In January 2016, the US Department of Transportation (USDoT) conducted a session on the SmartCity Challenge and Urban Freight and Logistics. This session was a follow-up to the USDoT report titled, Beyond Traffic 2045.
    Read More

Highlighted Content