To deny the solution does not take the smallest step toward solving the problem. Some businesses are against light rail because they think construction will have a negative impact on them. Given the current traffic situation in downtown Austin, which is a lot worse than it should be, one has to sympathize with them. Let this be a city concern, about which we can work together to ensure quick, logical construction with careful thought given to neighborhood integrity and small businesses. The issue will be a lot more serious in a half-century when, instead of the thriving downtown we now have, it will have become unlivable.
Mass transit preserves neighborhoods.
Imagine traffic jams sending more and more drivers down residential streets. Mass transit also makes neighborhoods more livable by making residents less dependent on cars. Light rail is only a part of the solution. We need long-range regional transportation and development planning. Immediate steps in the right direction include SH 130 and some kind of rail connections between major Texas cities.