Investing in

transit, though, continued to receive high marks.

Results from

the ARC Regional Issues Summer Poll show that although most respondents

know that Georgia's motor fuel tax is among the lowest in the nation (it

is in fact the lowest in the nation), most do not see a need to

increase this tax to provide additional roads. By a slight majority, though,

respondents did favor changing the way the current tax is used to support

transit and other transportation options, even if it means less money

for roads.

Additionally,

when asked how much of the $36 billion in ARC's 25-year Regional Transportation

Plan should go to the construction of roads, 56 percent said less than

half compared to 34 percent who wanted the majority of the investment

to go to new roads. The RTP will in fact invest only 12 percent of the

total for new roadways and expanded capacity on existing roadways, while

55 percent will go for new transit facilities.

As for the

region's water challenges, again, the majority is aware of water quality

problems, with 72 percent indicating that the region's water is polluted

to some degree. As for paying to fix these problems, 72 percent said they

would not be willing to spend more than $50 per year in taxes dedicated

to improving water quality.

"We are

learning more about the levels of public awareness and preferences,"

said Tom Weyandt, director of ARC's Comprehensive Planning Department.

"Certainly, we see great public support for more transit. We still

need to work on water quality awareness ­ and expect our Clean Water

Campaign will help."

The ARC Regional

Issues Poll is conducted quarterly by the Applied Research Center at Georgia

State University. It is a scientific survey of randomly selected adult

residents in the 13-county air quality, non-attainment area.

To view the

poll in its entirety, go to https://www.atlantaregional.com/Summer_2001_Poll.pps

For information

phone Mike Carnathan at 404-463-3101.