Cities contemplating commuter rail systems should first look at the characteristics of other successful systems.
Christof Spieler offers eight criteria for the 'perfect commuter rail line' on his blog about transportation in Houston.
"20 U.S. cities have commuter rail lines. Should Houston be number 21? The best way to answer that question is to figure out what commuter rail does well. Those other cities can give us a good idea of why successful commuter rail systems are successful.
Here are eight criteria for the perfect commuter rail line. Only a few lines meet all of these. But nine of the top 10 commuter rail systems in the United States meet at least seven."
Among the criteria: the system should take advantage of an underused rail corridor in an area where highway capacity is scarce, serve more than commuters, and have a major city at each end.
Read the full story: 8 habits of highly successful commuter rail lines
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority