4.3. SR 01-20-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ars may have breathed l ife into the nation's ransporcation system, but they also sounded a death knell for most ~ of the COuntry's dec- -- fcic-powered street ~cars and interurban' lines. Today, ironically, many cities that seek relief for their car-jammed streets . are making tracks back co an old S°u~°~'~%t' t'riend: light rail. Light rail systems operate over 542 miles of track in 19 U.S. czties, some o£ which opened new lines or exten- sions chis year. Additional/y, 190 other czues are either currently constructing or have plans to build light rail lines in their communities. The popular transportation mode is filling a niche m growing commumties chat are seeking to reduce traf- fic congestion, diversify their ~ransporcar~on opuons and support economic development. /~ remedy for Congested roads Light rail is popular in large part because ~c is flexible. HOwever, there is some cont-us~on about what constitutes light rail. "Light rail is a term that can mean a lot of things co a lot of people," says Bill M/i/ar, president of the Wash- ington, D-C.-basea ~ " ~xmerica ,T. ransportation ~ .... n Public .... oc~at~on (A~A). It's a term that people use as if they knew what they were talking about." Generally, ~odav~ light rail systems feature steel-wheeled rail cars char are electrically powered 8y overhead cables and that run on tracks above ground. The name COmes from 'the weight of the rails on which the cars run as COmpared to heavy rails, Which weigh more and can carry more weight. In densely popu- lated urban areas, light rail be situated ' lines m roadways so rh may alongside auromobl .... c~ .ey travel m such cases, the rail cars have traffic signal pnority so they can pass through intersecuons Ummpeded, speeding pas- sengers through traffic. Because light rail can be designed in many different ways, c~ties can use it ro meet a variety of =oals k , congestion o ,k~ = , uur relieving ,o -,¢ primary reas~ - urn co light rail ~ , on most Los ,Angeles' a,~ ,~u c~rndor between Angeles Coun~,'=~fasa=ena, the Los ~x ~v~etrosoliro. ~ porracion ~ucho-' ,,.Z .... ' ~rans- .