Imposing rail on top of #autosprawl is a loser. Make buses free, and you will then see where to put rail.

Light rail driving up rents in the Rainier Valley | KING5.com Seattle: "Rainier Valley thrives on its diversity. But this colorful community now finds itself in a gray area because of light rail.
"We definitely like light rail. Ideally it would've been done in a different way. But it's not too late to make adjustments now," said Rebecca Saldana, Program Director with Puget Sound Sage. "

'via Blog this'

Idaho free bus system a huge success

Citylink: Reliable. Efficient. Free.: "Citylink transit, launched in 2005, provides reliable, efficient, and free public bus service to Kootenai and Benewah counties in North Idaho. This transit operates five routes, 22 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. The interconnecting network comprises over 100 stops, spread across 200 miles of road, and transports an average of 40,000 passengers per month."

Build It and They Will Come

Demand for Free Transportation

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 ~ Why are there user fees for public transit but not for the use of other transportation infrastructure? What would happen if public transit were free?

The impact of not having user fees for other transportation options is instructive.  Simply: an abundance in the supply of transportation capacity can stimulate demand for it. It works for bike lanes in cities:

Science has verified something that may appear obvious at first glance: The direct connection between the presence of bike lanes and the number of bike commuters. The more infrastructure exists to encourage biking, the more people bike—and the more society reaps the public health, energy, and lifestyle benefits that come with an increasing share of people-powered transportation.

This isn't true just for bikes; it's true too for roads. Build more capacity and the number of drivers, trips and miles driven increases: