A Dark Side to Light Rail? The Experience of Three New Transit Systems

Many medium-size cities are planning or building new light rail transit (LRT) systems, the modern equivalents of streetcars or trolleys. Proponents argue not only that light rail is far less expensive to build than heavy rail, or subway, systems but also that it costs no more to operate than conventional bus transit and offers much improved service. Although it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, the first several years of experience of the new light rail systems in San Diego, Calgary, and Edmonton suggests that proponents have oversold LRT. In all three cities the LRT costs more than the conventional bus service it replaced. Public transit ridership increased modestly in two of the three cities, but the costs per added rider were high.