Selective sidewalk construction could be a part of a transit dedicated funding program. Overall Mass Transit Plan. We concur with the general sentiment to select a corridor for detailed exploration. The Arkansas Western corridor may or may not be the most attractive for initial study. Light rail does NOT break even anywhere in the world, at any population or ridership level.
Light rail is generally above ground.
It is worth noting that the bulk of its underground construction was completed in the 1970s under significantly lower construction costs. Using existing track would call for commuter rail rather than light rail, and independently powered trains. Freight traffic in the US is generally incompatable with overhead electric power supply. Sharing track with freight trains, no matter how infrequent, brings in the Federal Railroad Administration as the governing body. Although there are many efforts underway to change their way of doing business, currently FRA would not allow light rail or streetcars to operate on such tracks.