New poll shows more than half don't support ART

Seventy-eight percent of respondents in a new poll say Albuquerque Rapid Transit should be put to a vote. That's according to a poll by Carroll Strategies, an Albuquerque-based public relations and marketing company.

The poll surveyed just over 2,000 residents on July 2 and 3, which Carroll Strategies said created "a representative sample of 421 voters in Albuquerque."

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Most of the respondents had heard of Albuquerque Rapid Transit, or ART, the bus rapid transit line that will go mostly down Central Avenue between Unser and Tramway. The project is expected to cost $119 million, with most funding coming from the federal government.

The poll also found that 56.3 percent of respondents oppose ART, 28 percent support it and 15.7 were undecided or needed more information.

View the poll results in the interactive charts below.

Businesses and residents against ART, which are represented by two main groups that have both filed lawsuits against the city, say ART will destroy historic Route 66 and hurt businesses along the corridor.

Those in support of the project point to studies that say ART will increase private developmentalong the corridor, and improve access to jobs, residences and businesses.

More than half of respondents also said they didn't think ART would benefit the Albuquerque economy, according to the poll.

Construction of ART is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs, said the city in a news statement Wednesday.

The project is being overseen by the Albuquerque-based general contractor Bradbury Stamm Construction. The general contractor will solicit bids from other local construction companies. The first phase of the project has already gone out to bid, and those submitted were all from New Mexico companies.

ART is expected to break ground in August. Construction will occur in phases, with construction in one section never occurring longer than 60 days. The city said there will always be at least one lane of traffic open in each direction during construction.

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