New Poll Shows Minnesotans Want a Transportation System That Works for Everyone

The places we go make up the fabric of our lives. From the Twin Cities to the Red Lake Nation, from Worthington to Grand Marais, all of us want to have fast, affordable ways to get around our communities — and the ability to choose the transportation options that align with our values and work for our families.

Yet our lawmakers have failed to invest in a transportation system that works for all Minnesotans and protects our climate. Instead, they have funneled our tax dollars toward car-based infrastructure that widens inequities based on race, age, income, and ability; depletes our public coffers and personal budgets.

A new poll shows a resounding majority of Minnesotans want to drive less and want to use transit more — and they overwhelmingly support shifting money from highway investments to other modes. 

Findings:

Commissioned by Move Minnesota and conducted by Data for Progress, the Transportation in Minnesota poll of 939 adults across the state found:

• While 86% of Transportation in Minnesota poll respondents report driving as one of the “main ways that [they] get around in [their] community,” nearly one in five drivers would prefer to travel by another mode.
• 66% of respondents would support a bill to “improve transportation options in Minnesota using funding from the state and federal government which would otherwise go to highway expansion,” illustrating public will to make different choices about how current funding is allocated.
• A complementary statewide poll found that 55% of Minnesotans support a regional sales tax to fund metro-area transit, underscoring eagerness to also raise new money to support improvements, in addition to shifting existing dollars.
• Nearly one-third of Minnesotans would be more likely to use buses and trains if there were greater access to transit where they lived, showing a clear path for Minnesota to make urgently needed progress toward climate goals. 

Recommendations:

Backed by this widespread public support, state and local electeds have the opportunity to leverage financial resources and capitalize on united political leadership right now to create a transportation system that works for everyone. This report recommends three actions to align investments with climate needs and the strong public will across age, race, geography, and political orientation.

• Create long-term dedicated funding to support transit, biking, and walking in the Twin Cities metro with a 1% metro-area sales tax.
• Embrace flexibility in federal funding to better support transit, biking, and walking.
• Shift state funding from highway expansion to statewide transit investments by splitting the motor vehicle sales tax evenly between transit and highway projects.