Sept. 5, 1999
Light rail should be operating in just a few months,
and many Salt Lake residents say they welcome the proposed east-west track.
But as News Specialist Richard Piatt reports, a new KSL-TV/Deseret News poll suggests residents who want the line may not necessarily use it.
The signs are everywhere--signs that there is opposition to east-west light rail.
Even behind the scenes, the east-west link has had it's share of problems.
Federal funding for construction is not forthcoming. And a new proposal may limit the line from downtown to the University of Utah.
But as it was originally proposed, from the airport to the university, people who live in Salt Lake City are nearly evenly divided about whether they like it or not.
Do you favor or oppose the proposed airport to university west-east light rail line?
- For 52%
- Against 39%
- Don't Know 10%
(+/- 4.5%)
A KSL-Deseret News poll of 513 registered Salt Lake City voters asked 'Do you favor or oppose the proposed airport to university west-east light rail line?'
52 per cent say they either strongly or somewhat favor east-west light rail.
39 per cent say their strongly or somewhat oppose it. 10 per cent saying they don't know.
That puts light rail supporters and opponents in a statistical dead heat.
Would you ride it?
- Never 40%
- Rarely 24%
- Once/Twice a Month 18%
- Once/Twice a Week 10%
- Daily 4%
- Don't Know 4%
Opinions about whether people would ride the east-west rails were more clear-cut.
The vast majority say they would ride in only occasionally. 40 per cent say they would never ride it. Only four per cent say they would probably ride it daily, the same amount of people who say they don't know whether they'd ride it or not.
The north-south light rail trains will start running this fall. Officials at UTA will be closely watching to see how many people will be riding, and wondering if it will help sell it's companion east-west link.
Because Congress voted not to fund construction on the entire east-west line, UTA has scaled back its plans.
The line will now only run between downtown and the university.
