Local pollster EMC presented a bunch of findings about ST3 to the Sound Transit executive committee yesterday; I reported the basic numbers[1] earlier today. Bottom line: Across ST’s five sub regions—North, South, and East King County plus Snohomish and Pierce counties—voters support light rail expansion, 65 to 32 percent.
That’s the good news for transit fans.
Here’s the bad news for transit fans: The poll asked voters whether they preferred to “maximize building park and rides throughout Sound Transit’s system” or “minimize our investment in park and rides and instead shift that money towards improving bike and pedestrian access to transit stations.”
The park and ride option (which is currently slated at $661 million for more than 8,000 new parking stalls—and isn’t based on any scientific methodology as far as I can tell[2]) polled much better than spending on bike and pedestrian access (currently slated in ST3 for about $353 million.)
Here’s the question and the results from the poll:
If it’s any consolation to bike and ped supporters, only 27 percent of the poll sample came from the North King region (Seattle) while the remaining 73 percent comes from the other more suburban regions.
References
- ^ the basic numbers (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ isn’t based on any scientific methodology as far as I can tell (www.seattlemet.com)
