Kansas City Light Rail Crime 'Myths' - Part 2

"In recent weeks, a few light rail opponents have raised the specter of light rail transit being "dangerous," with crime being 'a real problem' on light rail lines. These opponents have characterized crime as one of the major reasons why Kansas City should not pursue light rail."

"Randal O'Toole, an anti-rail crusader with the libertarian Cato Institute, recently came through town with a new study intended to dissuade Kansas City from pursuing light rail. In it, O'Toole played up light rail's crime record, stating for instance that light rail 'has by far the worst crime record in the transit industry,' with more homicides, rapes, robberies and the like than any other form of transit, on a per-passenger basis."

"A local light rail opponent, Johnson Countian Wayne Flaherty, made the same case to a Kansas City citizens task force that was studying light rail routes. 'Crime is a real problem both in terms of quality of life on the trains and in actual dollars,' Flaherty wrote."

"Given their rhetoric, one would think light rail was the transit equivalent of the mean streets in Iraq. However, in actuality, crime levels on light rail lines are miniscule. You're more likely to be robbed or assaulted in the perfectly pleasant Prairie Village, or just about any other metro Kansas City city or suburb, than you are on a light rail line."