Hit The Pavement

Both commercial truck drivers and traditional drivers believe that the state of U.S. roadways is a critical issue for safety and quality of life. The Asphalt Pavement Alliance surveyed 3,085 drivers across the country to find out what drivers are looking for in their roads. The following are some of the key findings:

• The vast majority of drivers (84 percent of traditional drivers and 73 percent of truck drivers) prefer that road maintenance take place during off-peak hours.
•  Given 14 choices for officials to consider when building a road, 56 percent of drivers selected safety as one of the top three priorities.
• Nearly 70 percent of drivers report that they are willing to endure periodic delays in exchange for well-maintained roads.
• Drivers (86 percent) and truck drivers (78 percent) both prefer to put funds toward maintenance of existing roads over new construction.
• Just over half of each type of driver supports the development of new or additional funding mechanisms for infrastructure support and construction.

 The survey highlights the public interest in the next highway funding bill, which Congress is currently drafting. In the meantime, the Federal Highway Trust Fund is expected to run out of money by the end of the summer.“These results emphasize the need to increase investment in our nation’s aging infrastructure to put a greater emphasis on a consistent level of drivability for road users,” says Mike Acott, APA president.