Survey: A third of Boiseans back streetcar

(Editor's note: This story has been updated. An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the survey's margin of error.)

The survey commissioned by the Idaho Statesman asked how strongly respondents agreed or disagreed with the statement that Boise should have a Downtown trolley paid for with taxpayer money.

"Unfortunately, most of the respondents to this survey haven't seen the economic benefits analysis, the ridership studies, and reports from other cities that have installed streetcars," Boise Mayor Dave Bieter said Friday in a statement.

Those studies show that the streetcar would be an asset to the city, that it would pay for itself many times over, and that it would improve air quality, traffic congestion and parking, Bieter said.

The city has applied for a $40 million federal stimulus grant to pay about two-thirds of the $60 million cost of a Downtown streetcar. A decision on the grant is expected by the end of January.

Data for the Statesman survey was collected from Sept. 25 to Oct. 17 by POPULUS, a nonpartisan research company in Garden City. Participants were solicited from three sources: newspaper ads, e-mail lists provided by the newspapers and a list of volunteers maintained by POPULUS.

The survey asked a range of questions about citizen satisfaction with local and federal elected officials, community newspapers and current topics.

A total of 670 Boiseans responded to the question about a Downtown trolley.

POPULUS took that data and balanced it against demographics to arrive at a scientific result, which showed:

- 246 respondents, or 36.7 percent, in favor.

- 87, or 13 percent, undecided.

- 337, or 50.3 percent, opposed.

The margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent with a confidence level of 90 percent among Boiseans, said POPULUS President Paul Butcher.

That means if Populus did the same survey using the same techniques 100 times, 90 percent of the time the reported percentages would be within 5 percentage points of the original survey results. Among Statesman readers, the margin of error is slightly smaller — 3 percent — and the level of confidence higher — 95 percent.

After an open house on Oct. 1 about the streetcar, 57 percent of visitors who filled out comment cards supported the streetcar despite efforts by critics to draw opposition at the open house, Bieter said.

In a spring 2009 survey conducted by the city, residents reported that economic development and public transportation were their highest priorities, the mayor said.

"No project addresses both of these priorities better than does the streetcar," Bieter said. "We value all viewpoints on the streetcar, and our proposed public outreach effort is as much about getting feedback from citizens as it is providing them with solid information."

The POPULUS survey was the first in a series commissioned by the Statesman. Upcoming surveys will address health care, schools, transportation, the economy and nonprofits.

Bethann Stewart: 377-6393