Majority of Americans Favor Funding for Transit Over Funding for Roads

In a poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post, Americans were found to prefer allocating transportation funding towards transit expansion rather than road widening.

1 minute read

October 26, 2014, 5:00 AM PDT

By Maayan Dembo @DJ_Mayjahn


 Decatur Marta station

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The poll by ABC News and the Washington Post was conducted through "a landline and cell phone survey that asked 1,001 randomly selected adults how they prefer 'to reduce traffic congestion around the country,'" reports Angie Schmitt of USA Streetsblog.

The poll found that "54 percent said they would rather see government 'providing more public transportation options,' compared to 41 percent who preferred 'expanding and building roads.' Five percent offered no opinion on the matter. The survey had a margin of error of 3.5 percent."

These results were found to be divided along demographic lines as well. As Schmitt writes, "Among college graduates, racial minorities, people under 40, very high earners, and political liberals and independents, majorities favor transit expansion. Meanwhile, strong conservatives, evangelical white protestants, and white men without college degrees are more likely to favor road spending."

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