Compilation of Public Opinion Data on Tolls and Road Pricing (2008) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 10-39
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From page 10... ...
Many existing traditional toll roads are converting to some form of electronic toll collection, with most new toll projects incorporating the option to pay electronically.
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From page 11... ...
Thirtyseven percent said "toll roads should not be built because they encourage urban sprawl"; 56% believed that "developers will build homes with or without the toll road extension, so roads are needed"; 74% said "toll roads can be built in an environmentally sensitive way"; and 72% noted that the "existing toll roads have helped relieve traffic in Orange County." Half of the respondents in San Clemente rated the performance of the existing 241 Tollway as good or excellent, compared with 39% in the county as a whole. More than half of respondents (61%)
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From page 12... ...
Sample type: Not reported. In May, a telephone survey commissioned by TCA found that after pro and con arguments were presented, 54% of San Clemente residents surveyed supported the Foothill South, the 16-mile extension of the Foothill (241)
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. The survey was conducted just as the agency was about to release an alternative analysis of three toll road routes and three non-tollway options for improving traffic in south Orange County as part of the environmental impact study for the road.
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. Sixty-one percent of respondents supported toll roads in Orange County as a way of providing an alternative option to the freeways, and 33% were opposed (33)
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Participants: Adults residing in Bastrop, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. In March, TxDOT sponsored focus groups with a random sample of potential toll road users, defined as currently using roadways parallel to planned toll roads in central Texas and holding positive or neutral attitudes about the toll road plan (36)
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From page 16... ...
When asked whether there was a need for toll roads, half of central Texans (50%) said "no" and 42% said "yes." Sixty percent believed adding toll lanes to existing roads was a "bad idea," compared with 26% who believed it was a "good idea." Seventy-eight percent believed "converting existing roads into toll roads" was a "bad idea," compared with 13% who believed it was a "good idea." Nearly half (47%)
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From page 17... ...
Approval ratings for using toll financing for new highways ranged from 55% to 68%. Between 18% and 43% of the occupancy groups rated toll financing the best method of pay for new highways (higher than for gas taxes, vehicle registration fees, and sales tax)
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From page 18... ...
were found to show higher approval of variable tolls, as well as of toll financing in general, compared with other groups. The idea of operating the express lanes as a private, for-profit enterprise received approval ratings in the 30% to 45% range.
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Only 13% agreed and 72% percent disagreed with the statement, "tolls should be higher whenever there is congestion on toll roads and the new I-4 lanes." Respondents also tended to disagree with the statement, "tolls should be higher during peak periods and reduced during off-peak periods." Sixty-two percent disagreed with the statement and 25% agreed. Less than half (44%)
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From page 20... ...
Method: Survey. Universe: Residents living within 2 miles of existing toll roads or planned toll express lanes.
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Sample type: Customer list for ExpressPass users, RDD for I-15 and I-8 corridor users. In spring and fall 1998, the second and third waves of the Attitudinal Panel Survey were conducted on behalf of the San Diego Association of Governments by the San Diego State University Foundation (60)
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From page 22... ...
Sample type: Not reported. In May, a telephone survey conducted as part of a Washington State DOT Managed Lanes Study found that 66% of those polled did not want to convert existing HOV lanes to HOT lanes (63)
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From page 23... ...
The participants in the focus groups were generally supportive of the HOT lanes concept; however, somewhat negative predispositions toward the DOT or the Regional Transportation District prevented enthusiastic support. They believed that discussions of revenues from HOT lanes should focus on uses, like "bus services" or "roadway improvements," not on revenue-receiving agencies (e.g., 24 the Regional Transportation District)
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From page 24... ...
Sixty-three percent believed allowing single drivers to use carpool lanes by paying a toll was a good idea, 27% believed it was a "bad idea," and 10% had no opinion. Individuals residing in the I-394 travel shed were slightly more likely to believe MnPass was a good idea relative to those residing in the I-35W travel shed (64% and 58%, respectively)
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From page 25... ...
reported that they would use HOT lanes once a week or more often, 22% would use toll roads once a week or more often, and 48% would use HOV lanes once a week or more often. Respondents might use toll roads, HOT lanes, HOV lanes, or reversible lanes for emergencies (94%)
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From page 26... ...
believed allowing single drivers to use carpool lanes by paying a toll was a good idea, 22% believed it was a "bad idea," and 13% had no opinion (76)
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" There was considerable interest in the managed lane concept in both Houston and Dallas. Eighty-one percent of current toll road users polled in Dallas and 75% in Houston expressed interest in using managed lanes.
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. There are two road user charging schemes that might be considered: an area road user license scheme for Central London, an area road user license scheme for Central and Inner London .
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The rank order of preferences were • Better quality public transport, • More park and ride facilities, • Cheaper public transport, • Provision of school buses, • Increased road capacity on key routes, • Improved cycling and walking facilities, • More car sharing schemes, • Congestion charging, • Re-opening closed road sections to traffic, 30 • Banning cars in central Edinburgh, • Fewer bus lanes, • Stricter enforcement of parking regulations, • More bus lanes, • Higher parking charges, • Increased fuel tax. Respondents were then asked how transport improvements should be funded.
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After hearing a description of the congestion pricing program implemented in London, 73% of respondents (40% very likely and 33% somewhat likely) believe congestion pricing would be likely to reduce traffic congestion in Manhattan below 60th Street if put into operation in that area.
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From page 31... ...
. The stated preference survey measured public opinions, acceptance, travel behaviors, and preferences relating to tolling and the private development of the State Highway 121 toll road located in Denton and Collin counties, north of Dallas, Texas.
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From page 32... ...
The article indicated that the poll results show that many residents are concerned about losing control of well-maintained toll roads that have had few toll increases. A spokesperson for the state's Treasury Department was quoted as saying, "the public is not well-served when public opinion is tested before the Corzine administration has made any proposal." 88.
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. Among those who had heard or read "a lot" about leasing the toll roads, 85% said they opposed the idea.
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Sample type: Not reported. In March, a survey found an even split over the concept of a state plan that included an increase in the gas tax, with 24% of those surveyed strongly in favor and 33% strongly opposed (102)
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From page 35... ...
was mixed, with 52% agreeing that it was a good feature and 48% saying it was not. Older individuals, males, those who travel to work on toll roads and those who live 50+ miles from their workplace had a greater tendency to support HOT lanes.
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From page 36... ...
Most participants also believed that the price of tolls paid, up to $8, on the example project in California were "outrageous" and did not believe anyone in San Antonio would be willing to pay that much. All participants were in favor of HOT lanes rather than express toll lanes, because HOT lanes reward or encourage carpooling and public transportation.
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From page 37... ...
The Minnesota DOT looked at toll lanes as a new option. "Unlike toll roads where all drivers pay to travel on a highway, a toll-lane would be built alongside existing highway lanes, which would continue to be free.
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From page 38... ...
Fifty-eight percent favored the use of tolls as a way to "provide funds to improve our highway system," compared with 36% who favored the use to "shift traffic patterns and spread out road usage by charging higher tolls to discourage use when there is a lot of traffic and lower tolls when there is less traffic." Fortyfour percent favored use of tolls to "both raise funds and to shift traffic patterns and spread out road usage." Respondents were asked about their awareness of and support for HOT lanes. Support was measured with two different wording formats.
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From page 39... ...
I will read the entire list to you and then repeat each option to you, at which time you can answer yes or no." Support for each option in rank order was • Add tolls only on new roadways, 34%. • Allow solo drivers to pay a toll and ride in HOV lanes, 34%.
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