From: Public Policy Polling
To: Hard Hats for America
Subject: Overwhelming Majority of Americans Support More Federal Funding for Roads and Bridges; Voters See Crumbling Infrastructure as Threat
Date: September 22, 2016
A new poll from Public Policy Polling finds that a strong majority of voters nationwide support greater federal investment in roads, bridges, and infrastructure, as they see the country’s aging infrastructure as a major hazard to the health and safety of all Americans. Almost three in four Americans (72%) agree that more federal funding for roads, bridges, and infrastructure is necessary and would have a positive impact on the economy, an increase of 7 points from last month’s national infrastructure survey. Just 15% disagree with this sentiment, down from 21% in last month’s poll.
Underpinning Americans’ overwhelming support for greater infrastructure spending is an understanding that aging schools, roads, bridges, and drinking water systems pose a serious threat to our economy and the health and safety of our children, seniors, and families. A 59% majority of voters across the country agree that old and poorly maintained schools represent a threat to the safety of our children, while 50% agree that all Americans are endangered by the nation’s poorly maintained drinking water infrastructure. A 45% plurality of voters think that the condition of the country’s roads and bridges has gotten worse in the past five years.
Key findings from the survey include:
-Increased federal spending for infrastructure draws support from a diverse, bipartisan coalition, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, men, women, and voters in all four age groups tested.
-Though voters are united over funding for our roads and bridges, they are divided when it comes to which candidate for President has the best plan to improve our country’s infrastructure. 44% of Americans think that Democrat Hillary Clinton has a superior plan, while 43% say Republican Donald Trump’s plan is better. This margin has tightened somewhat since last month, when Americans preferred Clinton’s plan 43/39.
-The race for President is close overall, with Clinton leading Trump by 3 points, 45/42, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 4% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3%.
A PDF link to this memo can be found here
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