[RobDSM]

Light rail failed for many reasons, perhaps the biggest one being that most people felt that it would have been a Cap Metro boondoggle that would have wasted a lot of tax money. Face it, light rail would not make any noticeable dent in traffic congestion, and most people would never be riding it on a daily basis. Why would they want to vote for something so expensive that has such little value to them?

In spite of the shortcomings, I would personally vote for it today. I'm not so gullible to believe that my commute would be shorter on Mopac or 35, but I do see its benefits as far as promoting a different growth pattern along the line. I would like to see more densely populated areas that are less dependent on cars, even if it is confined to just a few corridors of the city. I would like that choice to be there someday. To me, that's what it's all about, but for others, thinking out decades is of no interest to them or their wallet. I can't really blame them.

I personally think it will take something catastrophic, some sort of a major and continued energy shortage, to make a real dent in our current patterns of growth and to make people look towards dense cities and public transportation. It will take a lot to make people say, "I want to ride that," instead of, "I hope everyone else will ride that."