This Washington
Survey: WA Residents Support Transit, Transportation Investments
EMC Research, a Seattle-based polling company, did a statewide survey on transportation priorities for the Washington Transportation Commission, the state organization that sets toll rates and advises the Washington State Department of Transportation on transportation policy.
The survey was released in advance of the 2012 regular legislative session, where legislators plan to craft a revenue package to pay for statewide transportation needs---and, Seattle and statewide transit agencies hope, give cities and local transit agencies new options to raise transportation revenue.
Overall, the poll found that 59 percent of respondents (38 percent somewhat, 21 percent strongly) supported additional funding for transportation. Thirty-seven percent were opposed, and four percent were undecided.
Asked what their specific transportation projects they would prefer to fund, respondents prioritized maintaining the existing transportation system (26 percent), increasing road capacity (23 percent), expanding travel options (21 percent), improving safety (16 percent), and protecting the environment (14 percent).
Asked whether they "support or oppose more state funding for public transit and passenger rail" in general, 63 percent said they supported it, 30 percent opposed it, and 6 percent were undecided. In the Puget Sound region, 70 percent supported it, 25 percent opposed it, and 5 percent opposed it.
The survey also broke down priorities among urban, suburban, and rural residents.
The sense that there is an "urgent" need to fix the state's transportation system was highest in urban areas, where 95 percent ranked it between 5 and 7 on a scale of 1 through 7, with 1 being "not at all urgent" and 7 being "extremely urgent." The percentage for suburban and rural areas was 90 percent and 87 percent, respectively.
Urban residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (24 percent) and expanding travel options (24 percent), followed by increasing capacity (20 percent), improving safety (16 percent) and protecting the environment (16 percent). They were also most likely to believe the state distributes transportation
Suburban residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (26 percent) and increasing capacity (26 percent), followed by expanding travel options capacity (21 percent), improving safety (15 percent) and protecting the environment (14 percent).
And rural residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (28 percent), increasing capacity (23 percent), and expanding travel options (19 percent), followed by improving safety (17 percent) and protecting the environment (13 percent).
Among specific transportation investments (including maintenance, rail, ferries, port infrastructure, bike lanes, and sidewalks, among others), maintenance ranked the highest across the state, followed by passenger rail. Regional airports and bike lanes ranked lowest.
Asked how they would prefer to pay for transportation, most survey respondents seemed inclined to support taxes they believed others, but not themselves, would have to pay. The most popular funding sources were fees on vehicle emissions (63 percent), fees on electric vehicles (60 percent), and tolls (52 percent). Just 46 percent said they would support increasing the state gas tax.
Not surprisingly, respondents in the Puget Sound region were most likely to believe they were getting their fair share of transportation funding (63 percent), and voters in northeastern Washington and Spokane were least likely to believe they were getting their fair share (36 and 38 percent, respectively). Urban voters were the most likely to believe the state distributes its transportation dollars fairly (60 percent), and rural voters were the least likely (54 percent) The truth, of course, is that Eastern Washington and Spokane are among the most heavily subsidized areas of the state in terms of state transportation funding.
The survey also asked respondents whether they would support new transportation investments based on how they usually get around. Among those who use transit less than 50 percent of the time, 81 percent supported investing in transportation; among those who use transit more than 50 percent of the time, 66 percent supported transportation investments; among those who drive alone less than 25 percent of the time, 61 percent supported transportation investments; among those who drive alone between 25 and 74 percent, 59 percent supported transportation investments; and among those who drive more than 75 percent of the time, 59 percent supported transportation investments. Among those who use no transit at all, 54 percent supported transportation investments.
Specific transportation investments broke down along similar lines, with those who drove alone more frequently the least likely to support investments in things like sidewalks, transit, and bike lanes, and those who used transit more often than they drove alone less likely to support road expansion, year-round roads, and road maintenance.
The full survey is now available here .
The survey was released in advance of the 2012 regular legislative session, where legislators plan to craft a revenue package to pay for statewide transportation needs---and, Seattle and statewide transit agencies hope, give cities and local transit agencies new options to raise transportation revenue.
Overall, the poll found that 59 percent of respondents (38 percent somewhat, 21 percent strongly) supported additional funding for transportation. Thirty-seven percent were opposed, and four percent were undecided.
Asked what their specific transportation projects they would prefer to fund, respondents prioritized maintaining the existing transportation system (26 percent), increasing road capacity (23 percent), expanding travel options (21 percent), improving safety (16 percent), and protecting the environment (14 percent).
Asked whether they "support or oppose more state funding for public transit and passenger rail" in general, 63 percent said they supported it, 30 percent opposed it, and 6 percent were undecided. In the Puget Sound region, 70 percent supported it, 25 percent opposed it, and 5 percent opposed it.
The survey also broke down priorities among urban, suburban, and rural residents.
The sense that there is an "urgent" need to fix the state's transportation system was highest in urban areas, where 95 percent ranked it between 5 and 7 on a scale of 1 through 7, with 1 being "not at all urgent" and 7 being "extremely urgent." The percentage for suburban and rural areas was 90 percent and 87 percent, respectively.
Urban residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (24 percent) and expanding travel options (24 percent), followed by increasing capacity (20 percent), improving safety (16 percent) and protecting the environment (16 percent). They were also most likely to believe the state distributes transportation
Suburban residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (26 percent) and increasing capacity (26 percent), followed by expanding travel options capacity (21 percent), improving safety (15 percent) and protecting the environment (14 percent).
And rural residents were most likely to support maintaining the system (28 percent), increasing capacity (23 percent), and expanding travel options (19 percent), followed by improving safety (17 percent) and protecting the environment (13 percent).
Among specific transportation investments (including maintenance, rail, ferries, port infrastructure, bike lanes, and sidewalks, among others), maintenance ranked the highest across the state, followed by passenger rail. Regional airports and bike lanes ranked lowest.
Asked how they would prefer to pay for transportation, most survey respondents seemed inclined to support taxes they believed others, but not themselves, would have to pay. The most popular funding sources were fees on vehicle emissions (63 percent), fees on electric vehicles (60 percent), and tolls (52 percent). Just 46 percent said they would support increasing the state gas tax.
Not surprisingly, respondents in the Puget Sound region were most likely to believe they were getting their fair share of transportation funding (63 percent), and voters in northeastern Washington and Spokane were least likely to believe they were getting their fair share (36 and 38 percent, respectively). Urban voters were the most likely to believe the state distributes its transportation dollars fairly (60 percent), and rural voters were the least likely (54 percent) The truth, of course, is that Eastern Washington and Spokane are among the most heavily subsidized areas of the state in terms of state transportation funding.
The survey also asked respondents whether they would support new transportation investments based on how they usually get around. Among those who use transit less than 50 percent of the time, 81 percent supported investing in transportation; among those who use transit more than 50 percent of the time, 66 percent supported transportation investments; among those who drive alone less than 25 percent of the time, 61 percent supported transportation investments; among those who drive alone between 25 and 74 percent, 59 percent supported transportation investments; and among those who drive more than 75 percent of the time, 59 percent supported transportation investments. Among those who use no transit at all, 54 percent supported transportation investments.
Specific transportation investments broke down along similar lines, with those who drove alone more frequently the least likely to support investments in things like sidewalks, transit, and bike lanes, and those who used transit more often than they drove alone less likely to support road expansion, year-round roads, and road maintenance.
The full survey is now available here .
