On July 6 at or about 11 AM, C-SPAN radio presented a delayed broadcast of speakers at the Conference of American Dream Coalition that took place on May 17, a segment of which was devoted to Houston, TX and the alleged detrimental effect on visitors and businesses due to the introduction of Light Rail Transit effectively narrowing major city streets to a single lane for auto traffic. (Reference was made to even worse results in Portland, OR.)
Light Rail differs somewhat from the trolley (street) cars envisioned for Lancaster in that it has its own private street lane and priority at intersections.
According to Architect Ted Richardson, “[Rail] Transit oriented development does not work.” He went on to say that the amount of public transportation traffic to the busy downtown area remains at pre- rail levels, with ridership simply switching from bus routes to light rail once buses were discontinued.
Although he acknowledges the initial attractiveness of rail transit to most people, he maintains they soon discover that it is difficult to carry packages because benches are squeezed together back to back resulting in very narrow aisles.
Richardson cited statistics indicating that all factors considered, rail can cost up to 30 timers as much per rider as buses. He said a study in Los Angeles showed it cost 20 times as much to provide service for an additional rail rider than for buses.
Richardson stressed that instead of attracting more business and increasing real estate values along the route, narrowing the use of major city streets to accommodate light rail has led to significant vacancies along the route and little or none of the anticipated new construction. Furthermore, he maintains that downtown becomes desolate in the evening with many businesses now closing at 4 PM.
NewsLanc repeats that a light rail system is somewhat different from trolley cars. But the similarities are sufficient and the reports so negative (and consistent with common sense that we invite viewers to visit the Coalition website and draw their own conclusions.
