Poll finds support for rail, transit, wider roads

North Carolinians overwhelmingly say improving public transportation and widening roads are the best ways to deal with traffic congestion, according to a new poll. But they don't like the idea of highway tolls to pay for them.

The poll, released today by Elon University, found 82 percent support for widening roads and improving public transportation to address traffic congestion. Majorities also favored building more roads (72 percent), increasing park-and-ride lots (73 percent) and adding carpool or high occupancy vehicle lanes (52 percent).

The poll found strong support for rail systems, including commuter rail in urban areas (72 percent), high-speed trains between the state's largest cities (70 percent) and regional rail (64 percent).

To pay for regional rail, 67 percent supported extra fees. To pay for work on bridges and roads and other transportation projects, 66 percent supported a $2 billion statewide bond issue.

But a majority, 63 percent, opposed tolls on state highways. Also, 59 percent opposed increasing the cost of yearly car registration, 78 percent opposed a fee based on miles driven, and 64 percent opposed increasing the renewal fee for a driver's license.

Majorities also opposed property taxes, gas taxes, special parking fees and commuter taxes as other funding sources for transportation.

Those polled were more enthusiastic about other options, with 74 percent favoring impact fees on developers to pay for local road construction. A majority, 59 percent, also favored weight fees on trucks to pay for transportation.

Among other results:

- 69 percent favored giving local governments the option to pay for their own transportation projects.

- 66 percent opposed letting local governments charge a local gas tax.

- 58 percent supported letting local governments use a half-cent sales tax for bus and rail service.

- Asked to name the most important transportation issue in the state, 31 percent said gas prices, 17 percent said public transportation, and 13 percent said the conditions or quality of roads. Fewer than 10 percent named congestion as the biggest issue.