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Rail News Home High-Speed Rail

4/7/2010



Rail News: High-Speed Rail

Half of Americans support HSR, poll says


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Nearly half of U.S. citizens support the creation of 10 high-speed rail corridors in the United States, according to results from a recent poll conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion.

The firm polled 1,005 adults that are panelists of Springboard America — an “online research community,” according to the group’s Web site — between March 31 and April 1 using an online survey featuring a map of the 10 federally designated high-speed rail corridors. Forty-nine percent of respondents said they support the Obama Administration’s plan to build out the corridors, 26 percent do not support the proposal and 25 percent were unsure.

Respondents also were asked to choose their preferred transport mode between some of the cities on the map. Thirty-five percent of those surveyed said they would choose to travel by car, while 32 percent said they would prefer to travel by high-speed rail. Sixteen percent chose to fly to their destination and 3 percent said they would take the bus.

Participants’ political views played a role in their responses, according to Angus Reid. Democrats were more supportive of the country’s high-speed rail plans, with 70 percent supporting the program vs. 34 percent of Republicans. Independent voters also were more likely to support the high-speed rail program, with 45 percent in favor and 33 percent against it.

In addition, 44 percent of Democrats polled said they would travel by high-speed rail compared with 30 percent of independents and 24 percent of Republicans.