Feds, Snyder kill Woodward Light Rail Line

[Jowlska]

I think, in the long run, this will be very good news. In terms of mobility, light rail offers no advantages over buses.

Light rail's relative advantages have nothing to do with mobility, which is why it was primarily conceived as another urban renewal project, rather than a transportation project.

Totally agree... As a daily bus commuter, light rail wouldn't have helped the system one bit. We need a working bus system before another failed people mover... For now I think that getting a direct bus to the airport or other regional destinations is a much higher priority. I hope they get this "high speed" bus thing rolling fast and once some operating costs/regional funding are figured out a light rail system should be addressed.

[begingri]

I really had some hope. I thought we'd finally pushed through. We had the seed money from private investors and the match the federal government. We were well on our way toward getting light rail. Enough factors were coming together for a unique arrangement that would finally get us light rail.

And now this.

Are you freaking kidding me? I give up on this whole damn metropolitan area. I really had considered sticking around. I am going to graduate right around the time the light rail was slated to open. I was thinking of moving downtown and becoming part of the ever-growing area, complete with mass transit. I don't care how overrated some people think Chicago is, when I graduate from my Master's program, I am heading out of this state.

[iheartthed]

This sucks for all of those speculators buying up those abandoned buildings along the formerly proposed light rail line....