| Density |
 |
Light rail is a form of mass transit, and like other forms of mass transit, in order for a light rail line to be
successful it needs large masses of people.
The
best way to ensure long term success is to increase the
density around light rail lines and stations. There has been a long running debate
among designers and professionals on what densities must be present in order
for light rail to be successful. All agree that it must be greater than 4 dwelling units per acre, which
is the typical density found using the sprawl model of growth. Many claim
that it must be higher. There is no magic number.
But, we do know there
is a direct link to higher densities and compact patterns of growth and
rates of mass transit use.
In a study done in 1995 that compared 19 light rail lines and
261 stations found that for every 10% increase in population density there
was a 6% increase in boarding at light rail stations,
and
daily boarding fell as distances increased from transit stops. Light
rail lines that went through areas that had densities of 20 people per acre
could expect daily boarding of 2000 people, and neighborhoods with densities
averaging 5 people per acres only
 averaged 900 daily boarding. In general,
to provide the masses of people necessary to make light rail viable and
successful, we need densities greater than we are currently building at.
|
| pictures taken from:
http://www.greatestcities.com/users/ magnoliasjazz/North_America/USA/Washington/ http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/ |