Voters oppose 57-38 (5 percent DK/NA)percent putting tolls on parts of Interstate 95 in the Commonwealth to pay for road repairs.

Given a choice, however, between tolls or a higher gas tax, voters prefer tolls 56-32 percent (12 percent DK/NA). Support for tolls over a gas tax hike is strong among all groups, except voters in the southeast part of the Commonwealth, where 46 percent prefer tolls and 42 percent prefer higher gas taxes.

“There is broad public support for the idea of state action to improve the state’s roads and highways, but not on how such projects should be funded,” says Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Jetson Roads

Maybe we could still, one day, drive like George Jetson. Maybe science is getting a little closer to making our roads smarter and safer.

For example: Two Dutch companies are working on the road of the very near future. Their research includes projects that address safety and intelligent transportation:

• A temperature-sensitive paint that is normally transparent, but in extreme, icy cold, the paint reveals warning symbols on the road surface.

• Glow-in-the-dark road surface paint, which absorbs solar energy during the day and can glow in the dark for up to10 hours.

• Under-the-road induction coils to charge electric vehicle batteries as they drive down the road.

• Road surface lights that growing brighter as a vehicle approaches and get dimmer as it moves away.