Survey: 85% of DFW residents favor commuter rail

Supports local-option bill

Steve Hawley, May 11, 09.

A survey released in February indicates that 85 percent of Dallas and Fort Worth residents favor a commuter rail system. Respondents identified traffic congestion as the most serious problem facing the region.

When provided with a statement describing the commuter rail system, 56 percent strongly favored the proposal and 29 percent somewhat favored it, while five percent somewhat opposed it and six percent strongly opposed it.

Furthermore, 90 percent “believe taxpayers should be given the right to vote to approve funding while only 8% prefer the State Legislature make the decision and enact the funding mechanism directly into law.” The results indicate strong support for the local-option bill passed by the Senate in April and currently sitting in the House Transportation Committee.

The bill would allow voters in many of the state’s most populous counties to approve taxes or fees to pay for local transportation projects. However, despite the urging of the Harris and Fort Bend county governments and the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston region was excluded from the bill. Some lawmakers recently proposed a broader statewide version of the bill, although the proposal’s prospects are unclear.

According to the survey, “respondents selected Driver License Fees and Vehicle Registration Fees as two of their top three choices to fund the rail proposal.” It does not indicate what the other top choice was.

The survey was conducted by HillCo Partners, which, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, was hired by the Fort Worth, Arlington and the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition to lead the lobbying effort for the local-option bill.