Fifty-one percent of Americans said there is more traffic congestion now than just a year ago, with more than 8 in 10 Americans (84%) saying they experience congestion on their daily commute.
As a result, half of those who commute to work on a daily basis said they would be willing to pay a toll to reduce their drive time. That number increased to 57% for those commuting in urban areas of the country.
HNTB’s survey also explored interest in priced managed lanes as a potential congestion solution. Priced-managed lanes are express lanes that are part of a highway and allow drivers the choice to pay a toll to avoid congestion. The survey found 88% of Americans would likely use price managed lanes in some capacity, with 7 in 10 Americans saying these lanes can help manage or reduce highway congestion.
“Pricing is one of the most effective ways you can manage congestion because it offers customers an option to purchase time-savings for their commute and attaches a value for creating a more reliable trip,” said Hoeflich. “This research not only tells us that Americans are increasingly open to using price managed lanes, but that they are also more aware of them than ever before.”
According to the survey, the number of Americans who have heard of price managed lanes is 2.5 times higher than it was a decade ago.
About the survey
HNTB’s America THINKS survey, Funding Congestion Solutions-2023, polled a random nationwide sample of 1,000 Americans, ages 18 and older, between June 16 and June 20, 2023. It was conducted by Material+. Quotas were set to ensure reliable representation of the entire U.S. population ages 18 and over. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.
About HNTB
HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With 109 years of service, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, and program and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com, or follow HNTB on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Media Contact
Brian Cox, HNTB, 816-527-2056, [email protected], www.hntb.com
SOURCE HNTB