4 ms·

Here is a wonderful study on the costs of light rail and its efficiency versus other forms of mass transit. [1] Here is a telling quote about why digging deep

Here is a wonderful study on the costs of light rail and its efficiency versus other forms of mass transit. [1] Here is a telling quote about why digging deep is the wrong answer. "Seattle, however, is building an entire light- rail line underground from the University of Washington to downtown Seattle. When completed in 2016, the line is expected to cost $628 million per mile, yet it will not carry any more people per hour than San Diego’s original 1981 light-rail line that cost $17 million per mile. The total cost of the 3.1-mile subway would be enough to build almost 200 miles of elevated busways at $10 million per lane mile. Seattle’s first light-rail line, which opened in 2007, was also completely separated from streets, costing $175 million per mile (nearly $200 million per mile in today’s dollars)." [1] http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa750_web.pdf http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa750_w...

meatysnapper 11y ago
Seattle in all fairness has some of the most incompetent local government of all time. They couldn't govern themselves out of a crackerjack box, if their lives depended on it.
- PhantomGremlin 11y ago
  No, Seattle is not unique. Check out the costs and delays of the 2nd Ave Subway in NYC. Closer to me, I've previously complained about the bridges across the Columbia river between Washington and Oregon. In 1982 a very fine bridge was built for $172 million.[1] What finally got scuttled in 2013 was a different proposed bridge that would have cost $2800 million.[2] Now I understand there was some intervening inflation, but there was a 16x cost increase (before inevitable cost overruns) between the two projects. Government at all levels, federal, state, municipal, is a very poor steward of Other People's Money. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Jackson_Memorial_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Jackson_Memorial_Brid... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Crossing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Crossing

meatysnapper 11y ago

Seattle in all fairness has some of the most incompetent local government of all time. They couldn't govern themselves out of a crackerjack box, if their lives depended on it.

PhantomGremlin 11y ago
No, Seattle is not unique. Check out the costs and delays of the 2nd Ave Subway in NYC. Closer to me, I've previously complained about the bridges across the Columbia river between Washington and Oregon. In 1982 a very fine bridge was built for $172 million.[1] What finally got scuttled in 2013 was a different proposed bridge that would have cost $2800 million.[2] Now I understand there was some intervening inflation, but there was a 16x cost increase (before inevitable cost overruns) between the two projects. Government at all levels, federal, state, municipal, is a very poor steward of Other People's Money. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Jackson_Memorial_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Jackson_Memorial_Brid... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Crossing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Crossing