The Role of Polls in Planning

When two polls on transportation policy come to conflicting conclusions, reporter Lisa Caruso wonders what the value is of surveying the public on policy matters.

1 minute read

April 5, 2010, 11:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


The surveys in question are by Transportation For America, which concluded that people value transit over driving, and by The American Highway Users Alliance, which concluded that Americans are gung ho about highway funding.

Caruso writes, "While polls of voter attitudes like these can give lawmakers valuable information in writing the next surface transportation law, they can also present a confusing and even contradictory picture. What kinds of policy reforms might this polling data suggest be considered in the reauthorization debate?"

Monday, April 5, 2010 in National Journal Online

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