Issue Backgrounder

2004-K
Independence Institute
13952 Denver West Parkway, Suite 400
Golden, Colorado 80401
303-279-6536
i2i.org/cad.aspx

Why Rail When Bus Works Better?

FasTracks calls for building six new rail lines and one bus-rapid transit line. Yet RTD’s own data show
that the bus line will provide faster, better service at a lower cost. So why build rail when bus is better?
RTD’s FasTracks plan calls for three new light- transit line costs less per rider to both build and
rail lines, three new commuter-rail lines, and operate, as shown in figures three and four.
one bus-rapid transit line. RTD’s own data show Figure Three: Operating Cost in Dollars Per Rider
that bus-rapid transit is faster, better, and less 6
expensive than rail transit. Figure one shows
5
buses will be faster than any of the rail lines.
4
Figure One: FasTrack Speeds in Miles Per Hour
50
3
45 2
40
35 1
30
0
25
SE 36 Rail North Gold West
20 Central SW I-225 East 36 Bus
15
High estimate
10 Light rail Commuter rail Bus
Low estimate
5 Source: RTD, FasTracks Plan, appendix E
0
US 36 East US 36 North Gold West I-225 Freeway lanes typically carry far more pas-
Bus (DIA) Rail Metro
senger miles per hour than rail lines. In fact, the
Bus-rapid transit Commuter rail Light rail only rail transit line in American that carries
Source: RTD, Fastracks Plan, p. 2-6
more people than a freeway lane is the New
Saving passengers even more time, RTD
plans to operate buses much more frequently Figure Four: Capital Cost in Dollars Per Rider
15
than the rail lines, as shown in figure two.
12
Figure Two: FasTrack Frequencies in Trips/Hour
30 9
25
6
20
3
15

10 0
36 Rail North Central Gold West
5
SE SW I-225 East 36 Bus
0 High estimate
Light rail Commuter rail Bus
US 36 West I-225 Gold East US 36 North Low estimate
BRT (DIA) Rail Metro Does not include debt
Source:
service
RTD, FasTracks Plan, appendix E
Peak hours
Bus Light rail Commuter rail
Off-peak hours
Source: RTD, FasTracks Plan, chapter 1 York City subway. Figure five shows that one
mile of Denver’s light-rail line carries just 15
Despite higher frequencies, the bus-rapid percent as many people as an average lane-mile
Figure Five: Rail Riders as Share of Freeway Lane Figure Six: Peak Travel without FasTracks
(passenger miles per rail mile as percent of freeway lane mile) (as percent of 2001)
100%
180
160
80% Transit
140

60%
120
100
Autos
40% 80
60
20% 40
20
0% 0
New York Boston Portland Denver Chicago Boston
2001 2025
Commuter rail Light rail
Source: 2002 National Transit Data Base Figure Seven: Peak Travel with FasTracks
(as percent of 2001)
180
of Denver freeway. Except in New York, com- 160
muter rail lines are even less productive. Transit
140
Buses running on high occupancy/toll
120
(HOT) lanes can be especially productive. Al-
100
lowing tolls to vary by the amount of conges- Autos
80
tion will keep traffic moving. New HOT lanes
60
in California have been funded entirely out of
40
tolls paid by drivers of low-occupancy vehicles.
20
0
2001 2025
Source: DRCOG, Analysis of FasTracks, p. 23

$95 million, and use the $932 million federal

dollars to do something that works? RTD could
buy buses for bus-rapid transit on existing roads
and CDOT could start a network of HOT lanes
that RTD’s buses will be able to run on at even
higher speeds.

DRCOG’s analysis of FasTracks says that, Figure Eight: Sources of Funds for FasTracks
without FasTracks, highway traffic will grow (millions of dollars)
by 63 percent. The red stripe at the top of figure
six shows transit’s share of rush-hour travel. Local
Figure seven shows DRCOG’s predictions of $95
what will happen if FasTracks is built. Can you Federal
see the difference? DRCOG says FasTracks will $932
take 1.4 percent of cars off the road during rush
hour. Is that worth the $7.1 billion cost (includ-
ing finance charges)?
RTD wants to spend $932 million federal
dollars, $95 million municipal dollars, and $3.69 Sales Tax
billion in sales tax revenues to build FasTracks. $3,690
Sales taxes will also pay interest on the $2.35
billion RTD will borrow to build the project.
Why not leave the sales taxes in the taxpay-
ers’ pockets and let the local cities keep their Source: RTD, FasTracks Financial Plan, p. 1