Survey shows Californians support state's HSR project, CHSRA says

In what California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) officials term “the first gauge of public opinion since voters approved a 2008 bond measure,” a survey released yesterday shows that a “clear majority of Californians” support the state’s high-speed rail project, with more than three-quarters saying they’d like the project to be built, according to a prepared statement.

Conducted in May by two California research firms — Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates and Public Opinion Strategies — the survey included telephone interviews with 800 registered voters in California. The results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

The findings:

• 76 percent indicated support for the project, with 34 percent saying they’d like to see
the project move forward “as quickly as possible”;

• 42 percent saying they’d like to see high-speed trains built “despite some concerns over cost and timing,” and

• 13 percent said they oppose the project.

“Californians are telling us loudly and clearly that they support the state’s high-speed rail project, and that’s the message we will be delivering in Washington this week to the Administration and the Congressional leadership,” said CHSRA Chairman Curt Pringle.

The survey also found that a majority of Californians who travel long-distance would prefer to travel by high-speed train; more than seven out of 10 long-distance travelers said they’d prefer to take the HSR line after being informed that a trip between San Francisco and Los Angeles was likely to cost less than an airline ticket or to travel by car, while being more environmentally friendly.

Also: Nearly twice as many voters indicated that HSR’s benefits make it “worth moving forward with the investment now,” as opposed to delaying based on uncertainties about costs, ridership or environmental benefits, according to CHSRA.

CHSRA officials plan to share the survey’s findings with federal officials and Congressional leaders during two days’ worth of meetings, starting today.