Rail is the people's choice. Rail is fast transit. Rail is high-capacity transit. Only the most heavily utilized heavy rail trunks are competitive with busways, and then only at significantly higher costs. Rail construction provides jobs.
Rail promotes superior urban form.
Rail will be paid for with non-local funds that cannot be used for other purposes. Rail will attract new riders to transit. Rail will decongest roads. New facilities cannot decongest existing facilities. The impact of transit on highway level of service is small.