Employees of architecture/engineering firm HNTB Companies say that adequate funding remains the number one challenge for the future of U.S. transportation infrastructure.  

The research follows recent recommendations from the congressionally-mandated National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. Earlier this year, the 12-member board of public and private industry leaders outlined a broad range of potential solutions, including calls for the increased use of public-private partnerships, tolling and congestion pricing, as well as an increase in the federal gas tax and a complete overhaul of the way projects are selected, funded and delivered.  

Survey respondents said the most important recommendations are the development of a program to fund projects that reduce congestion in the nation's largest metropolitan areas (89 percent), pass legislation to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund solvent and prevent highway investments from falling below guaranteed levels (87 percent), and remove barriers that prevent states from implementing alternative revenue generating strategies, such as tolling and congestion pricing (70 percent).  

The 3,400 survey participants represented a broad cross-section of the firm, from 39 states and a wide range of transportation specialties, including highways, bridges, technology, tolling, public transit, freight fail, construction management and aviation.