The idea of the trains running on streets still concerns me, but not as much as it did before riding the Denver trains. A spokesman for the system said one of the reasons they run well through downtown is that traffic lights can be set for them because the trains run in dedicated lanes to a schedule unaffected by rush-hour traffic. At some points, magnetic devices adjust the traffic lights. There's no reason that couldn't work outside downtown as well. But one thing is clear.
All transportation is expensive.
I mentioned near the top of the column that light rail in Denver had caused affluent drivers to do two extraordinary things. One was to ride the bus. It was the only one of five light-rail projects that voters approved last year. After the May 6 election in San Antonio, chances are a column will be in order explaining what VIA can learn from how Denver bucked the trend. KENS 5 and the San Antonio Express-News.