Business View - November 2015 9
American people now believe what we’ve been say-
ing for some time: our roads and bridges are in need
of repair and we need to raise revenue to do it.”
Among the poll’s findings were:
• Infrastructure spending is second only to educa-
tion (by a 64-60 margin) the area the public thinks
more money needs to be spent.
• The number of people who believe more needs to
be spent on infrastructure has risen 12 points – from
48% in 2014 to 60% this year.
• Forty percent of the public thinks infrastructure
should be a top priority for federal spending.
• Sixty-three percent of Americans believe our roads
and bridges are not being properly maintained.
• And a majority of Americans – 53% - believe it
will be necessary to raise taxes to properly maintain
roads and bridges.
However, the public remains opposed to raising the
fuel tax, raising income taxes, Interstate tolling and
adding registration fees to pay for needed mainte-
nance, but when forced to choose – the public sup-
ports raising the fuel tax over tolling.
“There is nothing more important to the trucking in-
dustry – and to the economy – than having good, safe
roads and bridges,” said incoming ATA Chairman Pat
Thomas, senior vice president of state government
affairs for UPS. “This poll should be yet another in
a series of wake up calls for our elected leaders to
take decisive action on a long-term, robustly funded
highway bill.”
