USA: Modernisation of public transport focuses on the construction of light rail systems

Phoenix light rail_3146748610_7c111da301_oUrban transport, underground or light rail systems gain more and more ground at global level, when we speak either about new projects in the European states, in the CIS states, in Brazil, North Africa (Algeria and Morocco) or about the ones leading in the field of investments such as new systems which are at present in an advanced construction phase in China (the Beijing Government announced last year its intention to develop 25 new underground systems), Saudi Arabia (Haramain project) or Turkey (Marmaray project).

The fast rhythm of construction of new underground transport projects, especially in the states with developed economies, increases their number in the world to 190 such transport systems, according to an analysis conducted by The Economist. It is clear that a solid reason underlying the execution of such ambitious projects was the one of the firm commitment of many national governments and the complex financing programmes carried out by them after the “economic recession” moment. Despite all these, the United States of America is not on the list of countries with new underground projects, the last of this type inaugurated being the one in Washington D.C., in 2001. In exchange, in the last decade, most of the American cities, with a relatively high population, such as Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Seattle or Portland have expressed more interest in the development of light rail transport systems than in new investments in underground transport systems.
Is the underground losing ground against the light rail transport system?
However, after many years when new underground projects have been cancelled or adjourned (most of them because of the lack of necessary funds, caused by the economic recession), this year Washington Metro initiated the construction of the new line, Silver Line, which will connect Airport Dulles – the greatest international air hub of the region – to the suburbs in Northern Virginia and, by extension, to the rest of the underground system. The first phase of the project, a section with a length of approximately 20 kilometres, is expected to be completed at the end of this year, the total costs reaching USD 5.6 Billion (EUR 4.2 Billion).
In San Francisco, works started for the project called “Central Subway Project” which is in fact a tunnel of approximately 3 kilometres linking one of the light rail lines of the city to BART, the underground system in the region. Through this project, a significant extension is added in Silicon Valley, expected to be operational in 2015. Works will cost USD 1.7 Billion (EUR 1.28 Billion).
What is also important to mention is the current project for the second underground line in New York, the works in progress aiming at an extension of 3 kilometres crossing in the underground the eastern part of Manhattan. Initial plans aimed at the construction of a line with a length of approximately 14 kilometres which should cross two thirds of the length of Manhattan Island, but no funds were granted for this purpose. Only the above mentioned short section of this project reaches the fabulous amount of USD 4.5 Billion (EUR 3.4 Billion).
The transport systems, both the light rail system and the underground one, are extremely important for easing a very challenged urban traffic which is a large fuel consumer, but in the public opinion, the balance seems to go in favour of the construction of underground lines (although much more expensive) rather than in light rail systems.

 


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