Austin's Capital MetroRail Red Line opens today after two years of delay and budget overruns. Intended as a showcase line, Yonah Freemark claims the line will see very few riders.
Freemark says that the light rail is slower than buses on a similar route, and with a wait of as much as 35 minutes between trains during rush hour.
Freemark writes, "The route between Leander and downtown Austin, passing through northern parts of the city, was supposed to be complete in early 2008, at a cost of $90 million. Instead, its cost eventually escalated to $105 million, not including affiliated parking, bus service, and other amenities."
"Even if the line does become exceedingly popular - a very remote possibility - the corridor can only handle 3,800 daily boardings, maximum."
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