California Voters Back Bullet Train Project: UC Berkeley Poll

BERKELEY, CA — California’s beleaguered bullet train project has the backing of state voters.

That’s according to a newly released UC Berkeley poll that found a majority of registered California voters support the plan to build a high-speed rail system.

The poll was conducted by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times.

The poll found that 56 percent of registered voters "support the state continuing to build the high-speed rail project, even if, as is currently planned, its operations only extend from Bakersfield to Merced in the Central Valley by the year 2030 and to the Bay Area by the year 2033." Thirty-five percent of voters said they are opposed.

The poll revealed a stark divide along political lines, with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting the project by a margin of 73 percent to 18 percent who are opposed and Republicans opposing it by a margin of 66 percent to 25 percent.

Independents support the project by a margin of 54 percent to 37 percent.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who serves as co-chair of the U.S. High-Speed Rail Coalition, said the poll illustrates that most state residents believe the proposal reflects their values.

"This poll confirms what we've believed for a long-time – that the great majority of Californians want electrified high-speed rail to help them alleviate congestion, avoid high gas prices, and address the climate crisis," LaHood said in a statement.

California voters in 2008 approved nearly $10 billion in bond money to build a high-speed rail line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco that was supposed to be running by 2020.

But the project was plagued by cost overruns and delays. Officials now hope to have trains running on a segment through the state's central valley agricultural region by 2029.

Critics have derided the segment as a "train to nowhere," but supporters say it's a necessary test and precursor to linking more populated areas.

The project's business plan anticipates environmental approval for the 500 miles (805 kilometers) between Los Angeles and San Francisco by 2023. Completion of the full line depends on funding and other unknowns.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report