Focus should be on buses, not light rail

I, and I suspect many others, are getting awfully tired of all the politicking going on over so-called “light rail.” Have any of the advocates of these horrendous spending ideas ever considered why cities, and large municipalities all over the United States, did away with their light rail systems in the years immediately following World War II? There were valid reasons for that action that have not changed one whit in the 21st century. Number one, light rail infrastructure is very expensive to build, maintain or expand. Two, light rail locations, once built, are fixed.

Thus, the logical switch to bus transportation. Number one, no infrastructure cost — buses run on existing streets and roads. Two, bus routes are flexible! If usage drops on a route, move it. As the service area grows, make new routes. So why is anyone pushing light rail? Will we never learn from history? No light rail system ever devised has been an economic success that I know of. Spend the money on buses. One other item that should be obvious: most bus routes serve people within walking distance or short commute distance. How many people will ever be within walking distance of light rail?

F. L. “Pat” Jacobs

Snohomish

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