Plan for light rail

Responding to letter from Mr. Teich supporting light rail (“Infrastructure here should mean light rail,” Nov. 23).

Creating infrastructure for light rail in any area of the country faces the same challenge as share-the-ride lots of years past. A passenger needs additional transportation at each end of the ride. One cannot use their personal vehicle to get to the terminal. The crime at any parking area is ongoing and expensive. Often referred to as “midnight auto parts,” getting off public transportation to find your vehicle stolen or vandalized saves no money.

Until the crime problem is dealt with, the train will run empty. Only in heavily populated areas with reliable public transport to and from rail terminals will ridership sustain the investment. We have seen a simple rail trestle up in Stevens County struggle for completion the last few months. That is a couple hundred feet costing millions.

If light rail is to be more than a jobs program, proper planning for public transport at both end of the line should come first.

Carlos Weber

Northport