Americans Really Want More Infrastructure Spending

Decaying highways, pipes, and railroads aren’t only top-of-mind for the average CityLab reader—nearly half of registered American voters believe that the state of their country’s infrastructure has deteriorated in the last five years, according to a national poll conducted in mid-June by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The vast majority—80 to 90 percent—of the roughly 2,000 individuals surveyed believe that the nation’s highways, bridges, water and energy grids are in “some” to “extreme” need of repair.

The poll also reflected ideological and generational gaps, with a greater share of Republicans (53 percent) than Democrats (41 percent) saying that they felt the state of the nation’s infrastructure has gotten worse in the last five years. That division tracked with age differences: Older Americans (who are more likely to vote Republican) seem to have a particularly bleak view of conditions: Nearly three-quarters of folks older than 45 rated U.S. roads as “poor to fair,” while 63 percent of 35-44-year olds and 55 percent of 18-35-year-olds thought the same. Similar differences of opinion were found regarding bridges and railways. Younger respondents also placed a much higher importance on forward-thinking infrastructure innovations, such as vertical farms, autonomous vehicles and drones.