Dec 7, 2016 4 min read

Pennsylvanians of all stripes – Republicans and Democrats, union members and non-union workers – overwhelmingly support the need for updated and modern infrastructure of all types, according to a recent post-election survey.

The survey results were the topic of a telephone conference with media members Wednesday conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Pennsylvania Association of Manufacturers.

The telephone survey of 500 Pennsylvania registered voters was conducted between Nov. 28 and Dec. 3 by FTI Consulting for the two manufacturing organizations.

The need for infrastructure improvements in the United States was addressed by both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump while on the campaign trail.

Now the question to be answered is whether that need can be met and at what costs.

While president-elect Trump has been focused on putting together a cabinet, he hasn’t indicated how he’ll approach infrastructure spending.

According to Ross Eisenberg, the NAM’s vice president of energy and resources policy, the survey found that 87 percent of voters believe that if government and private industry were to invest in infrastructure it would have a positive impact, with 61 percent agreeing that the increase would create good-paying jobs and 59 percent saying it would boost the economy.

The survey also asked whether they supported greater investment in energy infrastructure, 92 percent of Republicans and 80 percent of Democrats responded positively, which included 78 percent of those who said they voted for Hillary Clinton and 93 percent who voted for Donald Trump.

Eighty-six of union members and 85 percent of non-union voters also gave a thumbs-up to such an initiative, as did 86 percent of those who identified themselves as environmentalists.

The respondents also demonstrated a fairly comprehensive view of what constitutes the nation’s infrastructure, with 80 percent naming roads and bridges; railroads (69 percent); municipal water systems (63); power plants (62); oil and natural gas pipelines (62); power lines (61); ports (55); and internet broadband (41).

When asked specifically to state the condition of infrastructure in the United States and Pennsylvania, 46 percent rated America’s infrastructure as “fair,” while 45 percent gave the same rating to the Keystone State’s infrastructure.

Respondents also gave favorable support to all forms of energy, including solar (88 percent); wind (81); natural gas (76); oil (61); coal (52); and nuclear (45).

But during a brief question and answer period, Dave Taylor, president of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association noted that improving infrastructure roads and bridges is critical if the state’s manufacturing sector is to keep pace.

“We’ve been coasting for a long time on investments that were made by previous generations,” Taylor said.

When asked where the money would come from – state, federal and private sources, Taylor said the investments take a different path depending upon the type of infrastructure.

Where natural gas infrastructure is concerned, he said, “all that the private sector is looking for is permission to build” additional pipelines, adding that the financial side is accounted for.

And while the state has committed to spending to upgrade roads and bridges in recent years, and to add critical pieces to the Mon Valley Expressway and the Southern Beltway, the price tag becomes astronomical when looking across the United States.

According to Eisenberg, NAM estimated it will take more than $1 trillion to fix the country’s surface transportation system.

Pennsylvania’s cheap and abundant natural gas from the Marcellus Shale would be able to supply manufacturers of all types for both their operations and their feedstock needs, but more infrastructure work will need to be done if the industry is to remain competitive and flourish, Taylor said.

He noted that a legacy plastics manufacturing industry exists in Erie, but there needs to be pipeline infrastructure to carry ethylene produced by the Shell cracker plant in Beaver County to the Northwestern section of the state.

“There has to be a way for manufacturers to access that ethylene,” he said.