COST ISSUES OF SURFACE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT. RESOURCE PAPER

Capital costs of light rail transit are lower than for conventional rail transit to the extent that tracks can be located on surface, nonexclusive or semiexclusive rights-of-way. When light rail lines are located on aerial or underground grade-separated structures, capital costs approximate those of conventional rail rapid transit. Capital costs of recent light rail installations in the United States and elsewhere provide convincing statistics to show that significant reduction in facilities investments is closely tied to the design that favors surface location of the route. Operating costs of light rail transit are much less dependent on the extent of grade separation, but significant reductions in the costs of stations appear to be achievable when either the self-service or the no-barrier fare collection technique is used to control passenger access. This technique is particularly attractive when the light rail route is maintained on non-grade-separated surface alignments. To develop the climate propitious for realizing the cost savings attendant to surface operations of light rail in the United States, it appears necessary to undertake a program of various operational demonstrations that deal with the safe resolution of transit-vehicular and transit-pedestrian conflicts. (Author)