The following commentary by Kim Crockett was published in the June 10, 2015 issue of the Star Tribune.  Kim Crockett is executive vice president of the Center of the American Experiment.

Southwest LRT: It’s Not Too Late to Back Away

Photo: David Joles

Stop runaway rail transit and catch that bus! Light rail is an overbuilt solution to our transit needs.

The news from the Metropolitan Council this spring that the Southwest light-rail line has blown way past all cost estimates to $2 billion presents a great opportunity to find consensus on a big decision that will affect the region well into this century. The rail line has not been fully engineered, which means we are likely to see more cost increases, even after construction begins.

A lot of ink has been spilled of late, but Adam Platt’s candid Opinion Exchange article “LRT as engine: Churning or not?” (May 3) probably best reflects the ambivalence of many Twin Cities residents. He acknowledges that rail transit is exorbitantly expensive and will not improve general mobility. He even bluntly concludes that the Twin Cities does not need light rail.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
http://m.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/306702451.htm