10 Reasons We Need Light Rail in Rochester
1. LRT attracts new riders.
From 30% to 50% of rail transit riders are new to the
transit system and have autos at home, which they could use
but choose not to. The same people who shun bus transit are
attracted by the fast service and smooth ride which
electrified, guided transit can offer.
2. LRT reduces transit costs.
Costs for rail transit are as much as 50% less per
passenger-mile than bus transit. This reduces annual
transit operating costs and public subsidy. Rail transit in
a heavily-traveled core area frees up operating funds and
buses thereby indirectly serving other areas. For Seattle,
Link light rail will allow Metro to re-deploy buses now
used for downtown Seattle service to provide improved
service for the suburbs.
3. LRT adds capacity – for people.
Light rail will go where people live and work and will add
greatly to people movement capacity in the corridor. By
connecting neighborhoods, downtown and community centers,
people may not need to take a car to access transit and may
not even need to purchase a car. Other transit serving only
a highway corridor must rely on feeder buses or cars to
bring people to transit stations which are frequently
located in unattractive areas.
4. LRT is safe.
Passengers traveling by rail are very safe and
neighborhoods through which the system passes are also much
safer. A single light rail vehicle removes 60 to 125 cars
from the road and signal systems make the neighborhoods
safer for local traffic and pedestrians.
5. LRT reduces pollution.
Electrified light rail does not pollute near our homes and
pollutes much less in areas such as the Western New York
Stare with water-generated power. Getting people out of
their cars will preserve our clean air and clean water.
6. LRT fits anywhere.
It can run on the street, across the street, under the
street, over the street, on railroad tracks, or in canal
beds. Although it serves communities best when built on the
surface, light rail can be run on elevated structures or in
tunnels if necessary. Stations and right-of-way are compact
and efficient.
7. LRT strengthens our downtowns.
City and Village retail core areas, which have struggled
for years, choked with automobile traffic and losing
business to suburban malls, will see customers return –
brought to the central business districts by an attractive
transit system. Non-retail businesses benefit from improved
mobility for their workforce.
8. LRT enhances property values.
Areas in the vicinity of light rail stations normally see
an increase in land value and new, high-quality
transit-oriented development encourages vibrant community
centers. New homes and businesses can also reduce the
property tax rate in an area.
9. LRT is quiet.
Light rail vehicles produce less noise than diesel buses
and much less noise than the equivalent volume of
automobile traffic. Smooth, welded rails and vibration
absorbing fasteners eliminate much of the noise we
associate with rail travel.
10. LRT is a good investment.
Compared to the limited capacity of roads, light rail
carries many more people for the money. A freeway lane
carries 1,800 cars per hour or less than 2,200 people. A
single light rail track can comfortably carry from 8,600 to
16,000 people per hour (four to seven freeway lanes worth).
In downtown Rochester, the cost of a new urban lane on
I-490 is difficult to estimate but could be from $100 to
$500 Million per lane-mile. The average cost of recent LRT
lines is $18 million per mile for two tracks. LRT lines
from Downtown to Charlotte Beach, the Airport, Brockport,
and commuter rail from Batavia to Lyons via downtown’s
Amtrak Station, will move more people, much faster and
safer, for much less money.