WHAT'S NEW IN NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT PROJECTS?

This paper summarizes North American light rail transit (LRT) progress during recent years. Existing system rehabilitation and new project planning, design, construction, and start-up activities are discussed. To depict the significant effects of recent changes in the North American LRT situation, the text and data update the author's paper Evaluations of Operating Light Rail Transit and Streetcar Systems in the United States, published in TRB Special Report 182 (1978). Since then, U.S. LRT/streetcar cities (Boston, Newark, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New Orleans, Fort Worth, and San Francisco) have replaced old cars or rebuilt fixed facilities or both. Similar changes have occurred in Toronto and Mexico City. Seven cities have opened new LRT systems since 1977: Edmonton (1978), Calgary and San Diego (1981), Buffalo (1985), Portland (1986), and Sacramento and San Jose (1987). All these projects have been positive and productive additions to the transit networks in their respective areas. LRT is under construction in Los Angeles and in an advanced state of planning or design in more than a dozen other places. These projects encompass urban areas where LRT may be a natural "step up" from an all-bus transit system, as well as cities that discarded proposals for other guideway technologies. With old system reconstruction and a flurry of new starts, LRT has become the guideway mode of choice for an increasing number of cities. LRT provides adequate levels of service, speed, and comfort for realistically projected passenger flows; it is affordable to build and run; it enhances urban development without "Manhattanization"; and it is a sensitive, environmentally compatible neighbor to the communities it serves.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr221/221-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309047137
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Board Special Report No. 221, Light Rail Transit: New System Successes at Affordable Prices - Papers presented at the National Conference on Light Rail Transit, May 8-11, 1988, San Jose, California, Conducted by the Transportation Research Board. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Schumann, John W
• Conference:
  • National Conference on Light Rail Transit
  • Location: San Jose California, United States
  • Date: 1988-5-8 to 1988-5-11
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 8-42
• Monograph Title: LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 221
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Construction; Design; Driver rehabilitation; Light rail transit; Planning; Technological innovations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rehabilitation
• Geographic Terms: North America
• Old TRIS Terms: New systems
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00483653
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04713-7
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 1989 12:00AM