Poll: Milwaukee – to – Madison High-Speed Rail Project

Posted by Content Coordinator on Thursday, November 25th, 2010

WISCONSIN POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

WPRI STATE POLL FINDS MAJORITY OPPOSED TO MILWAUKEE-TO-MADISON RAIL PROJECT

Residents also show misunderstanding of budget issues in state

A majority of Wisconsinites polled between Nov. 15 and Nov. 17 oppose the Milwaukee-to-Madison rail project, and opposition grows slightly as respondents learn more about it, according to a poll sponsored by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

Slightly over half of respondents (52 percent) expressed opposition and 35 percent expressed support when asked if “Wisconsin should go ahead with the Madison-to-Milwaukee passenger rail project.”

In a separate question, respondents were presented with two different arguments and asked which one came closest to their point of view.

Thirty-six percent sided with the argument stating that “supporters of the passenger rail project say that it is an important addition to the transportation system in Wisconsin and is being paid for by 800 million dollars in federal money. They (supporters) also say that the project will create jobs and that if Wisconsin does not go forward with the project, the money will be redirected to other states.”

Fifty-eight percent sided with the argument that “opponents of the project say that what we need is better roads and that the federal money for the train will not cover the inevitable cost overruns. They (opponents) also say that the project will only create a handful of permanent jobs and that the train would not have enough ridership to pay for its annual operating costs.”

The survey of 615 randomly selected Wisconsin adults conforms in full with the disclosure requirements of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Code of Professional Ethics and Practice and the AAPOR Transparency Initiative. It included cell phone-users and was directed by Ken Goldstein, a UW-Madison political science professor. Goldstein has worked on national network election night coverage in every U.S. federal election since 1988, and is also the co-founder and director of the Big Ten Battleground Poll.

“High speed rail breaks down along partisan lines,” said Goldstein. “In the initial question, a slim majority of Democrats supported the train project, but over 75 percent of Republicans opposed it. A plurality of independents also opposed the project, though they were much more split than the Republicans.”

View full version (WPRI.org): Milwaukee – Madison HSR poll

About Wisconsin Policy Research Institute
www.wpri.org

“The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute Inc., established in 1987, is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit Institute working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues critical to the State’s future, its growth and prosperity. The Institute’s research and public education activities are directed to identify and promote public policies in Wisconsin which are fair, accountable and cost effective.”

Tags: , , , , , ,

Comments are closed.

Follow InfraUSA on Twitter Facebook YouTube Flickr

CATEGORIES


Show us your infra! Show us your infra!

Video, stills and tales. Share images of the Infra in your community that demands attention. Post your ideas about national Infra issues. Go ahead. Show Us Your Infra!  Upload and instantly share your message.

Polls Polls

Is the administration moving fast enough on Infra issues? Are Americans prepared to pay more taxes for repairs? Should job creation be the guiding determination? Vote now!

Views

What do the experts think? This is where the nation's public policy organizations, trade associations and think tanks weigh in with analysis on Infra issues. Tell them what you think.  Ask questions.  Share a different view.

Blog

The Infra Blog offers cutting edge perspective on a broad spectrum of Infra topics. Frequent updates and provocative posts highlight hot button topics -- essential ingredients of a national Infra dialogue.


Dear Friends,

 

It is encouraging to finally see clear signs of federal action to support a comprehensive US infrastructure investment plan.

 

Now more than ever, our advocacy is needed to keep stakeholders informed and connected, and to hold politicians to their promises to finally fix our nation’s ailing infrastructure.

 

We have already engaged nearly 280,000 users, and hoping to add many more as interest continues to grow.

 

We require your support in order to rise to this occasion, to make the most of this opportunity. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to InfrastructureUSA.org.

 

Steve Anderson

Managing Director

 

SteveAnderson@InfrastructureUSA.org

917-940-7125

InfrastructureUSA: Citizen Dialogue About Civil Infrastructure