Light Rail

Phoenix Light Rail

Feds Clear the Way for Phoenix's Light Rail Extension

A light rail extension that will reach South Phoenix took a crucial step forward last week.

January 19, 2017 - KJZZ

Lynx Light Rail

Charlotte's LYNX Light Rail: Ten Years Later

How has Charlotte evolved ten years since opening the LYNX Blue Line light rail system?

January 5, 2017 - Modern Cities

Tide Light Rail

This Light Rail Line Lowers Nearby Home Prices

Not every transit project has a positive effect on adjacent property values. A study finds that people do not, in fact, want to live next to Norfolk, Virginia's Tide light rail.

December 16, 2016 - Next City

Link and Bus Seattle

An Argument for Light Rail Over Bus Rapid Transit

Opponents of the ST3 transit funding measure in Seattle have argued that bus rapid transit is a cheaper alternative to light rail. A local write counter argues that point by making the economic case for light rail.

October 16, 2016 - The Urbanist

Tilikum Crossing

Ridership Numbers Below Target on Portland's One-Year-Old Orange Line

Eliot Njus reports on underwhelming ridership figures for the MAX Orange Line light rail service between Portland and Milwaukie. "Forecasts used to help justify federal funding for the project called for 17,000 average weekday trips in 2016. The

October 15, 2016 - The Oregonian

Downtown Dallas

Dallas Adopts an Urban-Centric Vision for its Transit Future

The Dallas City Council picked a side with regard to the D2 line (it prefers a subway to above ground light rail) and the proposed Cotton Belt line (it can wait).

October 13, 2016 - Dallas Observer

Southwest LRT

Minnesota's Southwest Light Rail Back From the Dead

Regional and county agencies figured out a way to move forward with the Southwest light rail plan without the help of the politically divided state. That could mean the state has time to climb on board by next year's legislative session.

September 4, 2016 - MinnPost

Southwest LRT

Minnesota's Southwest Light Rail on its Last Legs

Republicans in Minnesota are ready to put the final nail in the coffin of the proposed Southwest light rail project, which would connect downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.

August 22, 2016 - MinnPost

Seattle Transit

Light Rail Ridership Takes Off in Seattle After Expansion

Besting all expectations, ridership numbers have increased 83 percent since Seattle's Sound Transit light rail system added two new stations, connecting downtown to the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood and the University of Washington.

August 14, 2016 - Next City

Seattle Light Rail Construction

Details of the Seattle's Big ST3 Light Rail Plan

The $54 billion ST3 plan would add 62 miles of light rail over 25 years.

August 5, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

LAX Airport

Multimodal Transit Hub Planned for LAX

A light-rail link to the Los Angeles International Airport would accommodate bikes and buses, and could be here by 2021.

June 27, 2016 - Urbanize LA

Charlotte Lynx

Are Ride-Hailing Services Complementing or Competing with Rail Transit?

A news report on Charlotte's Lynx Blue Line looks at whether ride-hailing services are complementing rail transit by providing vital first mile-last mile service or whether customers are forgoing the transit trip entirely. Ridership has been falling.

June 13, 2016 - The Charlotte Observer

Portland Transit

Rail Transit: You Get What You Pay For

Seattle Transit blog compares rail investments from five cities around the country.

June 9, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

Expo Line

What L.A.'s New Expo Line Extension Won't Do

The $1.5 billion, 6.6-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica is projected to double trips on the line by 2030, giving commuters a viable alternative to driving. Just the same, don't expect the extension to reduce congestion.

May 23, 2016 - Wired

Garcetti Expo Line

What It's Like to Ride the New Expo Line to Santa Monica

For a bit of fun, take this animated ride on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's new Expo Line extension.

May 20, 2016 - YouTube

Downtown Boise

Boise Tackles the Tough Question: Go Light Rail or Go Bus?

A new circulator system for Downtown Boise, Idaho is in the works, with the mayor gently throwing his support behind a light rail system. But questions over costs remain.

May 14, 2016 - The Idaho Statesman

trax light rail train in foreground, snow-covered mountains in background

Cities Discovering the Limitations of Half-Baked Rail Plans

Presenting less of an argument against transit than an argument for good transit and land use planning, Streetsblog surveys some of the country's worst performing rail lines.

May 13, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Gold Line alongside 210 Freeway

Parking Crunch Hits New Light Rail Station

The number of people parking at the new Gold Line light rail station in Azusa, California is outstripping the available supply of parking spaces, forcing many onto surrounding residential streets, which now has neighbors up in arms.

May 10, 2016 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

U-Link opening

Seattle Light Rail Extension Already Beating Ridership Expectations

The new Sound Transit light rail link between downtown, Capitol Hill, and the University of Washington is already drawing a crowd.

April 24, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

Death Star

Friday Funny: The Death Star's Transit System Is the Best

If you've been waiting for a nice crossover of the Star Wars universe and the planning and urban design universe, here it is.

April 15, 2016 - Gizmodo

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