Radar Signs Popular With Voter
Presidential politics aside, the results from this past election cycle proved that even during hard times, the majority of American voters are in favor of road and traffic safety improvement projects.
In Michigan, voters approved a new bridge that added a new crossway between the Great Lakes State and Canada.
Arkansas voters approved a half-cent sales tax for improvements to be made on local highways, bridges and roads.
In Maine, voters overwhelmingly approved a $51 million transportation improvement bond measure focused on safety, road and bridge repair.
Road safety measures were also approved by voters in Arlington County, VA, Rhode Island, Memphis, Los Angeles County, Arizona, Hawaii and Alaska, to name just a few regions across the U.S.
According to Kerry O’Hare, vice president and director of Building America’s Future Educational Fund, these results are not unusual. American voters, she said, often support traffic safety and infrastructure improvement projects. The key is making sure voters know what they are going to get for their money.
“We find this to be true for local traffic calming initiatives as well,” said Gary O’Dell, president of Information Display Company. Local school districts, counties and municipalities are typically in favor of budgeting for radar signs and other traffic calming measures, designed to improve the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
This past election, about 68 percent of ballot measures aimed at highway safety and transit improvement projects were approved, according to research conducted by both The American Road & Transportation Builders Association and The American Public Transportation Association. Dozens of transportation-related projects, valued at more than $2.4 billion, were approved by voters this past November.
Again, the key to success was the identification of clear project lists, broad grassroots activism and business community support.
“When you make a specific request of people – ‘do you want this kind of project, thids set of transportation options in your community and are you willing to pay for it?’ – the data is pretty unambiguous,” Jordan said. “Most of the time the answer to the question is yes.”
