By Gongwer Staff
Posted: April 23, 2014 3:56 PM

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Sixty-one percent of likely Ohio primary voters would have a less favorable view of their representative and senators in the U.S. Congress if they do not take action this year to protect the state's 2015 federal highway, public transportation and bridge funding, a new poll has found. And that funding is in jeopardy.

The federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) that, on average, provides 58 percent of the money the Ohio Department of Transportation invests in road, bridge and public transportation capital improvement projects each year, is nearly insolvent. The money crunch is so bad the U.S. Department of Transportation says it will be forced to slow down reimbursements to the state for work already done, beginning early this summer. If the Congress does not act to fix the trust fund cash problem before October 1, there will be no federal funds available for any new road, bridge or public transportation improvements in the state next year until a fix is passed.

The poll, conducted by Purple Insights, shows nearly nine in 10 voters think transportation is essential to their daily activities and the state's economy. Over half (59 percent) say it is "very important" to both. Told how dependent the state's road and public transit construction program is on federal funding, 60 percent of likely Republican primary voters and 81 percent of likely Democrat voters say it is "very important" that Congress makes sure the support continues for highways, bridges and public transportation.

"The design, construction and maintenance of Ohio's highway infrastructure employs 109,000 Ohioans. An additional 2.7 million full-time jobs in key Ohio industries such as tourism, retail sales, agriculture and manufacturing are dependent on the state's transportation infrastructure network. We cannot stand idly by and permit our national legislators to allow federal transportation funds to the states to dry up. Such an action as that adversely impacts every citizen of this state," stated Chris Runyan, President of the Ohio Contractors Association.

"Ohio's 61 transit systems combined to carry over 100 million trips last year. As our economy continues to recover, Congress needs to take the necessary steps to ensure that funding remains in place to provide for trips to work, school, and services within our community," said James Gee, general manager of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority.

The research was conducted by Purple Insights Polling firm and commissioned by the Washington, D.C.-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Purple Insights used the methodology of automated telephone interviews for respondents on landline phones and online interviews of voters who predominantly or exclusively use cell phones. The sample size was 500 registered voters in the state. It has a margin of error +/-4.4 percent.