Submitted by Alexander Medwedew, May 30, 2007 15:36

Light rail where appropriate can make a difference. As a replacement for the Second Avenue Subway line to relieve the Lexington Avenue, it is not the solution. The amount of riders that a subway (heavy rail) can carry is far greater than light rail. The reliability of service affected by bad weather, street congestion and pedestrian interference is far less with subway service in tunnels. The choice of light rail will also create its own pollution during its construction. Miles of track will have to be installed on the streets as well as surface stations, signalling and dedicated right of ways. Streets may require sub surface changes to existing utilities and structural repairs to handle the weight. The disruption to traffic and the construction noise would also be a negative aspect that New Yorkers would not tolerate. Currently we have buses in service that can provide equivalent service and allow greater flexibility when route changes are needed.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.