Metro Atlantans see the economy and traffic as the biggest issues facing the region – much moreso than crime, education or taxes, according to a new Atlanta Regional Commission poll.
The poll of 2,100 voting-age metro Atlantans also shows what the ARC’s director called surprising support of public transit and a stronger-than-expected view that further development ought to be concentrated in areas that have already been developed.
“I guess I am not surprised that the economy was seen by a quarter of those polled as the most important question, and the fact that 21 percent said that traffic was most important – that is a reality that we live with every day,” said Douglas Hooker, the ARC’s executive director.
Last year, however, voters shot down a proposal for a sales tax to fund a metrowide traffic plan.
Hooker said he “personally was surprised that public education was only seen as the biggest problem by 13 percent. I personally feel it is a bigger problem for the region.”
The region’s hesitant recovery from the Great Recession might also be reflected in a mix of views of the future.
Asked about “living conditions” during the next three or four years, just over 30 percent said they expect things to get worse and 39 percent said things will not improve. Nearly 28 percent said the think things will get better.
The poll was timed in order to make the results available at the organization’s annual “state of the region” breakfast Friday at the Georgia World Congress Center, Hooker said.
Those responses will help direct ongoing conversation about the region’s future within the group, he said. “I think it’s always helpful … to have a good sense of metro Atlanta citizens’ feelings, aspirations and concerns.”
But the poll’s greater value will come if the ARC can – as it hopes to – conduct a similar poll every year, Hooker said. “The idea is to establish a baseline, then year after year we can continue it and see how people’s opinions, concerns and thoughts are changing. It’s a good investment.”
The ARC is the planning and intergovernmental agency for the 10-county area that includes the city of Atlanta. The agency advocates a range of transportation options, including road improvements, foot and bicycle traffic and public transit. The agency also prefers use of existing infrastructure to new, “green field” development.
The poll cost about $59,500, according the ARC, which is funded by member governments, the state and federal grants.
Economist Bruce Seaman of Georgia State University, an expert on economic development, said he was intrigued to see that 41 percent of those polled said public transportation was the best long term solution to traffic problems. That compared to 30 percent who said better roads and highways were the solution
“That is a lot more support for public transit than our political figures seem to believe exists,” Seaman said. “They should be creative in tapping into that support.”
Just slightly more than 70 percent of those polled said public transportation was “very important” for metro Atlanta’s future, compared to just 9 percent who said it was not important at all, according to the ARC.
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