Americans prefer Smart Growth to New Roads…

A new poll by Smart Growth America shows that nationwide the tide is turning against road widening projects and other forms of highway capacity enhancement. Just over one in five respondents thought that the best way to fight congestion was to add more lanes, while 3/4 of the respondents preferred more funding for transit and development patterns that favored walking and biking.

The survey, done annually by SGA and the National Realtor's Association, also showed growing concern about climate change and growing support for new ways to reduce greenhouse gasses. Just about 90% of respondents want to see communities built so people can walk more and drive less; cars, homes and buildings should be required to be more energy efficient; and public transportation should be improved and made more available.

Americans aren't completely ready to turn in their automobiles yet...84 percent voted against the idea of raising gasoline taxes to discourage driving.

For more, see the press release, graphs and tables, or questionnaire.