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ProRail Nebraska -- Nebraska's Association of Railroad Passengers and Supporters |
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COSTS AND BENEFITS OF COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE How much could developing a commuter rail system save? -- Building an urban freeway costs about $100 million per mile. -- Starting up commuter rail on existing lines costs no more than $5 million to $7 million per mile. That's a savings of 80 to 90 percent compared to freeway costs. -- The Texas Transportation Institute estimated that in one recent year, traffic congestion cost American drivers $40 billion worth of time and delay. -- Freeways remove property from the tax rolls. Railroad-owned right-of-way pays local property taxes. -- The operating expense of commuter rail costs 29 cents per passenger mile while the transit industry average is 41 cents per passenger mile. -- Los Angeles County MTA estimates motorists who switch to train transit can save up to $7,679 per year. The annual cost of driving in southern California, including ownership and operating expenses, is estimated at $8,327 for 20,000 miles. -- The American Public Transit Association estimates that a $100 million rail transit investment will generate some 6,000 direct and indirect jobs and lead to $300 million in business revenues. -- Compared to rail passengers, auto commuters are five times more likely to have an accident and 88 times more likely to suffer a fatality. Rail users also cause much less pollution, saving $264 million a year in environmental degradation, according to a study by the Carmen Group. -- Studies have shown that the presence of a commuter rail station increases the value of nearby homes by 6.7 percent. In contrast, dwellings near Interstate interchanges have been shown to decline in value.
An introduction to North America's commuter rail systems For the complete story on Commuter Rail from Trains Magazine, click here. |
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