Rail system construction is less capital intensive, more labor intensive and creates more jobs per unit of investment than road building. There are already 140,000 miles of existing railroad track in the U.S. Because a single track has the capacity of a 4-lane freeway, this network's capacity far exceeds that of the existing 42,000 mile Interstate Highway System. One fully occupied train car can remove as many as 100 passenger cars from the road during rush hour. While car traffic accommodates about 750 passengers per meter-width of lane per hour, surface rapid rail will carry 9,000. In locations without rail service, bicycles can carry 1,500 persons per meter-width of lane, at least twice as many as cars.
Bicycles are a highly efficient alternative to cars.
Bicycles require only 22 calories per passenger kilometer, compared to rail at 549 calories per passenger kilometer and cars at a staggering 1,153 calories per passenger kilometer. Light rail is more cost-effective than freeway construction. Light rail in cities competes favorably with the automobile in terms of speed. Due to time required to buy, maintain and pay to insure cars, etc. Primitive walking cultures can provide for more efficient transportation at without the pollution, pavement and thralldom to corporate interests.