Mobile Edition
Print
Get the Mag
Weekly UpdatesThree-fourths of Americans believe that being smarter about development and improving public transportation are better long-term solutions for reducing traffic congestion than building new roads, according to a recent survey, the 2007 Growth and Transportation Survey, sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and Smart Growth America.
Nearly half of those surveyed think improving public transit would be the best way to reduce congestion, and 26 percent believe developing communities that reduce the need to drive would be the better alternative. Only one in five said building new roads was the answer.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
This year the survey also asked about climate change, and more than 70 percent of respondents are concerned about how growth and development affect global warming. Americans expressed strong support for bold measures to combat climate change. Nearly nine in 10 believe that new communities should be built so people can walk more and drive less; cars, homes, and buildings should be required to be more energy efficient; and public transportation should be improved and made more available. Americans strongly disapprove of increasing gasoline taxes as a way to discourage driving and reduce energy use, with 84 percent rejecting the idea.
With road building costs often exceeding revenues, many states are turning to toils as a key funding source. Americans are divided on tolls, although 55 percent approve of charging tolls on more roads if it improves roads and decreases congestion. On the other hand, six in 10 are opposed to charging tolls on freeways during rush hour to reduce congestion, and respondents are evenly split on charging tolls during rush hour, even if the money is used to provide transportation alternatives to the freeway.
When it comes to spending taxpayer dollars, respondents believe Congress should spend more money to maintain and repair roads, highways, freeways, and bridges and to expand and improve public transit than to build new roads.
Respondents were overwhelmingly opposed to the private ownership of roads; that is, selling key roads and highways to private companies that would charge a toll and give a portion of the toll money to the state. Eighty-four percent of respondents oppose private ownership of roads; only 14 percent support the concept. Similarly, 66 percent are opposed to allowing private companies to build, own, and collect tolls for new roads--even if those companies give a portion of the toll money to the state.
For more information on the survey, see http://www.smartgrowthamerica. org/narsgareport2007.html
FEED