Poll: 47 Percent Support Light Rail Transit
Reaction Mixed On Technology For Project
POSTED: 4:06 pm HST July 28,
2008
UPDATED: 5:23 pm HST July 28,
2008
HONOLULU -- Nearly half the people who answered a KITV/Honolulu Star-Bulletin poll said they believe light rail is the best solution for Oahu's traffic problems.The next most popular choice among Oahu residents for a traffic solution is enhanced bus services.
The poll also found a slight majority either do not like or are not sure about the city's choice of steel-on-steel as technology for rail transit.The KITV/Honolulu Star-Bulletin poll asked 402 people on Oahu to choose from three solutions to the island's traffic problems.Forty-seven percent of them chose "light rail." The next-most-popular choice of enhanced bus services received approval from 27 percent of the people, like Hazel Hostetter of Hawaii Kai."You know, that might work, because the bus system worked for Hawaii all these years," Hostetter said."More buses alone are not the answer. Right now, the buses can only operate on time 65 percent of the time on schedule," Mayor Mufi Hannemann said.Just 12 percent of the people like the idea of building elevated-toll roads."Considering how little the media have covered toll roads, I'm surprised it gets that much," Stop Rail Now leader Cliff Slater said.The city is moving forward with steel-on-steel rail technology. Fifty-four percent of the people in the poll said they either do not like that technology or are unsure about it. People like Cyrus Chen who lives in the Ward area.
"You know, I don't think I have enough information. That's what the experts say, so I'll leave it up to the experts. If that's what it is, then that's fine," Chen said."We still have some work to do there, but clearly it still remains the No. 1 choice -- 46 percent of the people say steel-on-steel," Hannemann said.Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi, who is running against Hannemann, supports a different rail technology, rubber tire on concrete."It's less than half the cost and it accomplishes the same thing. So, you know, it's 'Why not?'" Kobayashi said.SMS Research conducted the transit poll for KITV and the Honolulu Star Bulletin via telephone from July 18 through the 23. It has a margin of error of 4.8 percent.
Previous Stories:
- July 28, 2008: KITV/Star-Bulletin Poll Finds Strong Support For Rail
- July 28, 2008: Poll: Most Approve Of Mayor's Leadership On Rail
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