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NEW YORK — An exclusive Rockefeller Foundation survey reveals overwhelming bipartisan support for federal investment in transportation and infrastructure projects. The survey showed that 71 percent of voters think leaders in Washington should seek common ground on legislation related to roads, bridges, and transit systems, including 66 percent of Tea Party supporters and 71 percent of Republicans. Two out of three voters say that improving the country’s transportation infrastructure is highly important. Nearly half of all voters said that roads are often or totally inadequate and that only some public transportation options exist. Eighty percent of voters agree that federal funding to improve and modernize transportation will boost local economies and create millions of jobs, and view it as critical to keeping the United States as the world’s top economic superpower.

But Americans want changes in the way the federal government invests in infrastructure and makes policy. Two-thirds of respondents favored 9 of 10 reforms tested in the survey, with 90 supporting more accountability and certification that projects are delivered on time and fit into a national plan. In terms of priorities, a vast majority (80 percent) believe the country would benefit from an expanded and improved public transportation system and 57 percent believe that “safer streets for our communities and children” should be one of the top two priorities if more money is to be invested in infrastructure.

The Rockefeller Foundation funded this survey as part of the Foundation’s Transportation initiative, a $66 million investment aimed at promoting equitable and sustainable transportation policies at the federal and state level. Through this investment, the foundation is committed to the development of policies that provide access to opportunity, more transportation options, and help create vibrant and healthy communities, all while increasing access to good jobs for lower income Americans.

This Rockefeller Foundation Infrastructure Survey highlights four key findings:
1. American voters see improvement in transportation infrastructure as a way to improve the economy and their quality of life: With federal unemployment rates hovering at 9 percent, Americans feel that improvements to transportation and infrastructure will create millions of jobs — eight in 10 voters think transportation and infrastructure will boost local economies and create jobs including 64 percent of Tea Party supporters and 66 percent of Republicans.
2. American voters are looking for consensus and cooperation in Washington: Americans want their elected officials to work together, especially around the issue of transportation and infrastructure (66 percent of voters say this is a time where they would like leaders in Washington to make compromises and seek common ground). More than any other issue tested, American voters would like to see compromise on legislation related to transportation and infrastructure (71 percent).
3. American voters see room for improvement in how government spends money on infrastructure: With a high federal deficit, Americans overwhelmingly say that current government spending on building and maintaining transportation infrastructure is inefficient and unwise — 64 percent overall and 72 percent of Republicans. Americans support a host of reforms aimed at making spending more efficient while still producing results. For instance, 90 percent support allowing local regions to have some input on how transportation dollars are used in their area.
4. American voters are open to several funding streams for national transportation projects: With overwhelming support for transportation and infrastructure improvements, Americans are open to several funding streams. Seventy-eight percent encourage more private investment and 72 percent of voters support imposing penalties on projects that go over budget or exceed their deadline. Sixty percent of voters support establishing a National Infrastructure Bank, 59 percent support issuing new transportation bonds, and 58 percent support eliminating subsidies for American oil companies that drill in other countries. Only 27 percent support increasing the gas tax, although almost half of all respondents believe it increases annually (it has not increased since 1993).

Survey Methodology: From Jan. 29 to Feb. 6, 2011, Hart Research (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R) conducted a national survey of voters on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation. The firms interviewed 1,001 registered voters, including 200 voters who have only a cell phone. The data’s margin of error is +/-3.1 percentage points for the full sample, and higher for subgroups of the sample.