If You Build It, Will They Come?

Being cash-strapped, however, leaves little room for the state to focus on transit-oriented development, which many believe would be a key to it's success. Experts cite what is referred to as the BART syndrome, where Bay Area Rapid Transit stations are often left without high-density development in close range, thus making little impact in reducing sprawl and car use.

According to Gabriel Metcalf of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, "the environmental benefits of rail will be lost if there isn't development around the stations, which are currently planned for both dense urban centers [Los Angeles and San Francisco] and more sprawling cities like Gilroy, Fresno and Bakersfield."

Thanks to Shay Kahen