Politics & Government

Chamber Poll Finds Strong Support for Southwest LRT

The survey questioned 700 voters across Minnesota, including 400 metro-area voters.

A survey commissioned by the state’s three largest chambers of commerce found more than six in 10 Minnesotans favor this year’s proposal to commit $25 million in state money to the Southwest Light Rail Transit line.

“The strong support evidenced by this survey should add to the momentum in support of Southwest LRT,” a news release quoted TwinWest Chamber President Bruce Nustad. “We have a once in a generation opportunity to build a transportation network that will help us keep and grow jobs in our region. The business community will continue to play a major role backing this important project.”

TwinWest, The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce—which had all previously —commissioned the survey to determine support for public transportation across Minnesota.

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(Click on the PDF to the right of the article to read a memo from the pollsters about the survey questions.)

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Public Opinion Strategies and Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates surveyed 700 voters across Minnesota, including 400 voters in the seven-county metro region. Statewide results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percent, while metro results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent.

Support for Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposal to spend $25 million in state money on the Southwest LRT grew the closer the respondents were to the project area.

  • Statewide support sat at 61 percent, with western Minnesota the lowest group at 52 percent approval.
  • Metro-area support was 64 percent, and Hennepin and Ramsey counties had 69 percent approval.

The proposed $25 million investment would be part of a $125 million total state contribution project. Federal money and county funds that are required to be spent on transit would match that, including a federal share of $625 million.

Public transportation received more support when the questions didn’t cover specific projects. More than three-quarters of respondents said Minnesota would benefit from an improved public transportation system, and nearly 70 percent said they’d like to use public transportation more.

“This survey backs up what we’ve been hearing from business leaders across the region,” the news release quoted Minneapolis Regional Chamber President Todd Klingel. “Businesses support transportation options that will ensure our region’s economy is positioned for growth and support moving forward with a critical investment in Southwest LRT this year.”

Construction of the $1.25 billion line, which will connect the Twin Cities with Eden Prairie via the west metro, is expected to start in 2015. The transitway would then open in 2018.


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