Public Supports Transportation Investments, Poll Says

Sixty-two percent of American drivers believe the federal government should invest more money in roads but only 27% of those who feel that way favor increasing the 18.4-cent gasoline tax, according to a public opinion poll conducted by AAA.

The 24.4-cent federal diesel tax was not addressed in the motorist group’s telephone survey of 1,008 respondents.

The poll, released late last month, found that of those who favor more investment:

• 55% would replace the per-gallon gasoline tax with a national gasoline sales tax; 

• 47% support a national sales tax dedicated to transportation and tolling interstate highways;

• 45% would back a carbon tax;

• 37% would replace the gas tax with a tax on vehicle miles traveled; and

• 35% would tax all sources of energy;

The poll was released a day after the Congressional Budget Office reiterated that the Highway Trust Fund will be insolvent starting in fiscal year 2015.

Diesel and gasoline taxes support the fund but increasingly fuel efficient vehicles have eaten away at the revenue.