New Poll (Same Old Story?): Americans Want New Roads and Bridges. They Don’t Want to Pay the Tab.

Reuters reports, “Americans want a federal infrastructure program to focus on rebuilding aging roads and bridges, but are reluctant to use federal dollars for such projects, according to a Reuters polls released on Thursday, Dec. 19. The findings highlight a major challenge for a 10-year, $1 trillion infrastructure program incoming President Donald Trump has promised: Everyone wants infrastructure, but almost no one wants to pay for it.” The report adds, “‘We can’t have it all—we have to pay for what we want,’ said Ananth Prasad, who leads the transportation practice at HNTB Corp, a transportation consulting firm. ‘But if the consumers are not interested in it, you do the best with what you have and you use the tools you have.’” On tolls, Reuters notes, “Some 50 percent said motorists should pay tolls and user fees, but nearly as many, at 41 percent, did not want that kind of charge, either.”