In one "reality," we hear conservative radio squawkers warn against the evils of light rail here in the midwest.
In other, more quantitatively measurable realities, commuter rail more than delivers on its promise.
In Minneapolis, the Hiawatha line is now five years old:
Five years and 43 million passenger rides later, the Hiawatha line is coping with success.
Metro Transit spokesman Bob Gibbons says ridership for the line, which connects downtown Minneapolis with the Mall of America, is already 20 percent ahead of what ridership was expected to be 11 years from now.
In Phoenix, a commuter line less than a year old is already catching on:
The Phoenix light rail line, which opened at the end of 2008, drew over 1.1 million riders in October, according to the East Valley Tribune, eclipsing the previous record set in September. The light rail drew an average of 41,077 riders per weekday during the month, compared to 40,772 a month earlier. Local officials attributed the increase to more visitors, cooler weather, and more special events.
Houston’s light rail also draws approximately 40,000 daily riders, although its per-mile ridership levels are about three times higher. Phoenix’s light rail extends for about 20 miles, while Houston’s is just over seven miles long, with another 30 miles planned to open around 2012.
The Phoenix light rail also set a new single-day record on October 2 with 50,562 riders. Valley Metro, which operates the system, is also planning several expansion projects to be implemented in the next 20 years.
A number of Phoenix business owners, after witnessing the system’s success, are pushing to expand the system in the hopes of attracting more customers.
Read the rest at: Phoenix light rail continues setting ridership records - Houston Tomorrow
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