Public Perceptions of Pricing Existing Roads and Other Transportation Policies: Texas Perspective

Public perceptions are key to the future of many transportation policy proposals. In this work, statewide surveys, followed by a series of focus groups, illuminate public opinion and many of the issues at play in Texas. Statistical models of respondent opinions highlight the influence of demographic, location and other variables. And focus group interactions explore the underlying reasons for these opinions. The statewide surveys revealed considerable agreement (over 70%) among respondents on just two issues: (1) charging heavy vehicles a higher toll is a good toll road feature, and (2) dedicated truck lanes should be added to highways. Results suggest reasonable support for conversion of non-tolled roads to tolled roads if benefits can be demonstrated, and that frequent toll road users are more likely to support such conversions – while Austin residents and long-distance commuters tend to be less supportive. A multinomial logit model of stated responses to congestion pricing indicates that older persons are likely to reduce their travel during peak periods, members of larger households are more likely to change travel routes, and full-time workers are more likely to stick with their current travel patterns. Exploded logit models of policy rankings indicate that older, more-educated persons, as well as long-distance commuters, females, and residents non-metro areas are more supportive of pricing new and existing roads than others. Such model specifications also offer insight into the most acceptable sources of revenues – their uses. The focus group discussions revealed a great variety of misunderstanding. Highly informative messages were received favorably. And “ordinary” people appear to make the most effective spokespersons. These results of all these analyses should prove useful in crafting toll-related policies as well as public information campaigns.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Kockelman, Kara M
  • Podgorski, Kaethe
  • Bina, Michelle
  • Gadda, Shashank
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2006-1-22 to 2006-1-26
• Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20p
• Monograph Title: TRB 85th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Congestion pricing; Demographics; Public opinion; Public participation; Road pricing; Strategic planning; Surveys; Toll roads; Transportation planning
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01031617
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 06-0934
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 24 2006 7:40AM