Poll: Half of U.S. backs high-speed rail

WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- About half of U.S. residents support President Barack Obama's plan to develop high-speed rail corridors, a poll released Tuesday indicated.

The Canadian polling company, Angus Reid Public Opinion, found 49 percent of those surveyed said they support high-speed rail. About one-third, 32 percent, said they would use the service rather than driving or taking a plane.

One-quarter of respondents, 26 percent, said they oppose building high-speed rail corridors.

Respondents were shown a map of proposed routes, which cover much of the country except the Plains and mountain states of the West. Obama has proposed high-speed rail in California and linking Portland, Ore., Seattle and Vancouver in Canada.

Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans -- 70 percent to 34 percent -- to support high-speed rail. Among independents, 44 percent support high-speed rail and 35 percent oppose it.

While 44 percent of Democrats would use high-speed rail, only 24 percent of Republicans and 30 percent of independents said they would.

Angus Reid surveyed 1,005 adults online March 31 and April 1. The margin of error is 3.1 percent either way.