The Seattle Times Monorail telephone poll of 400 Seattle voters was conducted July 5-6 by Elway Research of Seattle.
Telephone interviews were completed with 400 registered voters. The overall margin of error is 5 percent. That means, in theory, there is a 95 percent probability that the results of this survey are within 5 percent of the results that would have been obtained by interviewing all registered voters in the city.
Half the respondents were women, half were men.
Here are the poll questions on the Monorail.
1. In the last week or so, there have been some developments in the Seattle monorail project. Would you say you have been paying...
| A great deal of attention to the monorail events | 35% |
| Some Attention | 51% |
| Not Much Attention | 11% |
| No attention to the monorail events | 3% |
2. The Seattle Monorail Board announced the contract to build and operate the new monorail, and their plan to finance it. They later withdrew the finance plan, leaving the project in limbo. In your opinion, what should happen now? Should the Monorail Board and city ...
| Cancel the project | 52% |
| Look for a way continue the project | 45% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 3% |
3. If continue: In general terms there are three choices to keep the project going. Which of these — if any — would you favor:
| One: Scale back the line to cut costs — making it shorter, with fewer stops | 10% |
| Two: Authorize new taxes, in addition to the car tab tax, to generate enough money | 25% |
| Three: Re-open the bidding process and try to get a lower bid | 53% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 13% |
4. Continuing the project now will require a new plan. If there is a new plan, should the voters have the chance to approve it? Or do you think the voters have already expressed their will, so they should go ahead without another vote?
| Voters should approve | 61% |
| Go ahead without vote | 32% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 7% |
5. Of course, the new monorail project has been before the voters in Seattle several times over the last few years. Has this new information about the financing changed your thinking about the monorail? Which of these statements best describes you:
| I have been in favor of the monorail all along, and I favor it now | 29% |
| I was in favor, but now I am not sure | 17% |
| I was in favor, but now I cannot support it | 15% |
| I was opposed, but now I am in favor | 2% |
| I was opposed, but now I am not sure | 5% |
| I have opposed the monorail all along | 31% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 2% |
6. The City Council will have the final say about whether to give the go-ahead to the monorail. Several City Council members are up for re-election this fall. Would you be more likely to support a council member who voted to stop the monorail project? Or for a council member who voted to continue the monorail project? Or would that make no difference to you?
| Stop | 37% |
| Continue | 29% |
| No difference | 31% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 4% |
7. I am going to read a list of transportation projects in the area that are in the planning or discussion stage. Each one will cost local taxpayers significant amounts of money. As I read each one, tell me whether you think that project should be a high priority, medium. low priority or not a priority for taxpayer dollars.
| 1. Replace and expand the Evergreen Point Bridge |
| 28% | 30% | 24% | 11% | 8% |
| 2. Extend light rail to the University District and Northgate |
| 37% | 32% | 17% | 11% | 4% |
| 3. Construct a street car from downtown to South Lake Union |
| 8% | 17% | 43% | 29% | 4% |
| 4. Construct the Monorail |
| 26% | 23% | 19% | 30% | 2% |
| 5. Replace the Alaska Way Viaduct |
| 67% | 17% | 8% | 5% | 3% |
8. Which of these five projects should have the highest priority, in your opinion?
| Evergreen Point Bridge | 8% |
| Light Rail to Northgate | 10% |
| South Lake Union Streetcar | 1% |
| Monorail | 11% |
| Alaskan Way Viaduct | 66% |
| None | 2% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 2% |
9. Which of these five projects should have the lowest priority, in your opinion?
| Evergreen Point Bridge | 12% |
| Light Rail to Northgate | 7% |
| South Lake Union Streetcar | 42% |
| Monorail | 31% |
| Alaskan Way Viaduct | 4% |
| None | 2% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 3% |
10. If the monorail were built, how likely is it that you would be a regular rider? Would you say it is...
| Very likely | 18% |
| Somewhat likely | 17% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 12% |
| Very unlikely | 52% |
| [Don't know/no answer] | 1% |
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