# Presentation: 545405

## National Survey of Likely Voters 

- April 2008

## Methodology

**Universe**: Likely Voters
**Sample Size**: 1,000
**Error Margin**: ±3.1%
**Method**:  On-Line (email-driven web-based survey to random sample of Survey Sampling Inc. opt-in national panel)
**Field Dates**: April 4-6, 2008

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Voters Spend Most Time Travelling By Car

**Q: **For each of the following forms of transportation, please indicate what percentage of the time you use that form of transportation during the course of a year.  Please consider ALL of the places you go, including work, school, shopping, social visits, vacation, etc.  All of the percentages entered should add up to 100%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Safety Improvements Needed

**Q: **In terms of _**safety**_, please rate your opinion of the condition of the nation’s major highways and bridges

- 80% Need Improvements

- 20% Excellent/Good

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Major Congestion Relief Needed

**Q: **In terms of _**congestion**_, please rate your opinion of the condition of the nation’s major highways and bridges

- 88% Need Improvements

- 12% Excellent/Good

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Invest More In Highways & Bridges

**Q: **In the next year, should the federal government’s investment in highway and bridge improvements be...

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Candidates Benefit From Talking About Congestion Relief

**Q: **Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who talks about _**relieving congestion**_ on our nation’s highways?

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Candidates Significantly Benefit From Talking About Safety

**Q: **Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who talks about _**improving the safety**_ of our nation’s highways and bridges?

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Important To Keep Fuel Tax Dedicated To Highways & Bridges

**Q: **How important is it to you that your elected officials support the position that fuel taxes and other fees collected from highway users should be dedicated only for highway and bridge improvements?

- 93% Important

- 7% Not Important

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Strong Majority See Cars, Roads & Bridges As Benefit To Society

**Q: **Which of the following two views on transportation policy are closer to your own?

**76%**  Cars, roads and bridges benefit society and we need to invest in a strong highway system to improve safety, relieve congestion, and keep the economy moving.

**24%**  Cars, roads and bridges have a negative impact on society and funding for them should be redirected to promote alternative modes of transportation like bicycles, walking and mass transit.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Reducing Congestion Better Green Policy Than Reducing Driving 

**Q: **Which of the following approaches to reducing green house gas emissions is closer to your own view?

- Getting people moving by reducing the number of congested traffic jams can greatly reduce wasted fuel and greenhouse gas emissions.  A sound green policy is compatible with traffic congestion relief.

- The way to reduce wasted fuel and greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce the number of cars on our roads. Policies should be aimed at reducing driving and getting people out of their cars

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Federal Government Should Lead On Funding Major Highways & Bridges

**Q: **For each of the following types of transportation, please indicate which level of government you think should take the leadership role in funding, the federal government, state, or local governments

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Strong Opposition To More Tolls On Interstates

**Q: **There is an effort in several states to put tolls on Interstate highways to generate revenue for transportation and other government needs.  Would you support or oppose Interstate highways becoming toll roads?

- 34% Support

- 66% Oppose

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Strong Opposition To Leasing Public Highways

**Q: **There is an effort in several states to sell or lease roads to private corporations.  The companies would increase tolls and collect money from motorists over several decades.  In exchange, the current state government would get cash to give up control of the road.   Would you support or oppose selling or leasing existing public highways to companies?

- 16% Support

- 84% Oppose

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Majority Support Some Increase In Fuel Tax

**Q: **Highway users pay for roads and bridges by paying federal user fees on gasoline and diesel.  The current federal fuel tax hasn’t changed in 15 years and is 18.4 cents per gallon.  Some have suggested an increase over the next five years to pay for needed transportation projects. Which of the following would you support? (*multiple responses allowed*)

- 57%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Fuel Tax Increase OpinionBy Vote Behavior

- 62%

- 53%

- 54%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Messages: Trust Fund Bankruptcy

**Q: P**lease rate the impact of the information below on your support for increased investment by the federal government on highways and bridges...

- For the first time in its history, the Federal Highway Trust Fund, which is funded by the fuel tax, will be bankrupt in 2009.  Without action from Congress, highway funds will be dramatically cut.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Messages: Tax Has Lower Buying Power

**Q: P**lease rate the impact of the information below on your support for increased investment by the federal government on highways and bridges...

- Due to inflation and higher costs for construction materials, today’s tax on a gallon of gasoline can only pay for half of the improvements it did 15 years ago. This means every year the government has less to spend keeping our roads and bridges up to date.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Messages: U.S. Losing Competitiveness

**Q: P**lease rate the impact of the information below on your support for increased investment by the federal government on highways and bridges...

- China is building an economy to compete with the U.S.  By 2020, China will have a bigger Interstate Highway System then the U.S. to reduce freight delays and move people.  China spends 2.5% of its GDP on highways but the U.S. only spends 0.65% of our GDP.  If the U.S. does not invest more in its roads and bridges, its international competiveness will only suffer more.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Messages: Improvements Can Save Lives

**Q: P**lease rate the impact of the information below on your support for increased investment by the federal government on highways and bridges...

- Of the nearly 43,000 lives lost annually on U.S. highways, about 14,000 can be linked to substandard road conditions, obsolete designs or unprotected roadside hazards.  Investing more in roads and bridges will save lives.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Messages: Unsafe Bridges

**Q: P**lease rate the impact of the information below on your support for increased investment by the federal government on highways and bridges...

- 21% of the nation’s major highway bridges have been rated by the Federal Highway Administration as either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.  We cannot wait for another bridge collapse to invest in bridge improvements.

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Support For Fuel Tax Increase Grows From 57% to 71% After Messages

**Q: **As mentioned earlier, the current federal fuel tax, set fifteen years ago, is 18.4 cents per gallon.  After reading more information about the state our nation’s roads, which of the following would you support?? (*multiple responses allowed*)

- 71%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Age

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Vote Behavior

- D: 38%

- R: 37%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Race/Ethnicity

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Gender

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008

## Region

- 22%

- 19%

- 36%

- 23%

- AHUA National Survey of Likely Voters - April 2008