US Public Transport New Starts (Rail)
Cost per New Commuter
Compared to Monthly 5th Quintile Income

The following table calculates the annual cost per new commuter (worker) of building and operating new transit projects as proposed to the United States Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration. The formula for calculating the annual cost is the cost per new passenger trip times 450 (each commuter works an average of 225 days and commutes twice daily). On average, the cost per new commuter is equal to more than one year's average income for the lowest 20 percent (quintile) of households. The most cost effective project cost per new commuter is equal to less than two months lowest quintile household income, while the least cost effective project nearly approximates three years of household income for the lowest quintile Moreover, all except one of the listed projects are more expensive than the cost of leasing each new commuter a new economy automobile in perpetuity.

Ranking by Months of 5th Quintile Income

US Public Transit New Start Projects: FY 2000

Cost per New Passenger Trip Compared to Lowest Quintile Household Income

Phase and City Incremental Cost per New Passenger Trip Annual Cost per New Commuter Equivalent Months of Income: Lowest Quintile Project Cost in Millions
Federal Transit Administration Recommendation
Final Design
Dallas-Ft. Worth (RAILTRAN Phase 2) $9.77 $4,397 7.4 $154 Recommended
Dallas (North Central LRT) $13.49 $6,071 10.3 $517 Recommended
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Tri-County Commuter Rail) N/A N/A N/A $422 Highly Recommended
Los Angeles (LOSSAN Rail Corridor Improvement) N/A N/A N/A $61 Not Recommended
New Orleans (Canal Streetcar Spine) $7.47 $3,362 5.7 $154 Not Recommended
Northern New Jersey (Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link) N/A N/A N/A $150 Highly Recommended
San Diego (Mission Valley East) N/A N/A N/A $361 Highly Recommended
Tacoma-Seattle (Sounder) Commuter Rail $27.89 $12,551 21.3 $401 Recommended
Preliminary Engineering
Austin (Northwest/North Central Corridor) $12.90 $5,805 9.8 TBD Not Rated
Baltimore (MTA Double Tracking Project) N/A N/A N/A $150 Recommended
Boston (Piers Transitway Phase 2) N/A N/A N/A $364 Not Recommended
Chicago (Central Kane Corridor) $12.13 $5,459 9.2 $101 Recommended
Chicago (North Central Corridor) $11.41 $5,135 8.7 $204 Not Recommended
Chicago (Southwest Corridor) $5.81 $2,615 4.4 $177 Highly Recommended
Cincinnati (NE/I-71) $11.72 $5,274 8.9 $676 Not Recommended
Cleveland (Euclid Corridor) N/A N/A N/A $327 Not Recommended
Denver (Southeast Corridor) $6.88 $3,096 5.2 $596 Not Recommended
Kansas City (Southtown LRT) $14.69 $6,611 11.2 $248 Not Recommended
Las Vegas (Resort Corridor) $2.54 $1,143 1.9 $500 Not Recommended
Little Rock (Junction Bridge/River Rail) N/A N/A N/A $8 Not Recommended
Memphis (Medical Ctr. Trolley Extension) N/A N/A N/A $36 Recommended
Miami (East/West Corridor) N/A N/A N/A $2,152 Not Recommended
Miami (North 27th Avenue Corridor) $17.90 $8,055 13.6 $579 Not Recommended
Minneapolis (Hiawatha Avenue) $18.57 $8,357 14.2 $446 Recommended
New York City (LIRR East Side Access) $44.80 $20,160 34.1 $4,289 Not Recommended
Norfolk (Virginia Beach Corridor) $11.59 $5,216 8.8 $525 Not Recommended
N. New Jersey (Hudson-Bergen MOS-2) N/A N/A N/A $989 Not Rated
Orange County (Irvine-Fullerton Corridor) $14.65 $6,593 11.2 $1,917 Recommended
Orlando (I-4 Central Florida Light Rail) $9.72 $4,374 7.4 $600 Highly Recommended
Phoenix (Central Phoenix/East Valley) $5.08 $2,286 3.9 $390 Not Recommended
Pittsburgh (MLK Busway Extension) N/A N/A N/A $63 Not Recommended
Pittsburgh (Stage 2 LRT) $7.00 $3,150 5.3 $513 Not Recommended
Portland (South/North Corridor) $10.18 $4,581 7.8 $1,186 Not Recommended
Raleigh, NC (Regional Transit Plan) $11.62 $5,229 8.9 $284 Recommended
Salt Lake City (Downtown Connector-West/East Corridor) $16.81 $7,565 12.8 $75 Not Recommended
San Diego (Mid Coast Corridor) N/A N/A N/A $105 Highly Recommended
San Diego (Oceanside Escondido Corridor) $5.36 $2,412 4.1 $214 Highly Recommended
San Francisco (Bayshore-Third Street LRT) $34.82 $15,669 26.5 $446 Recommended
San Juan - Minillas Extension $6.99 $3,146 5.3 $468 Not Rated
Seattle Link LRT (Northgate-Seatac) $10.39 $4,676 7.9 $2,917 Highly Recommended
Tampa (Tampa Regional Rail) $12.90 $5,805 9.8 $726 Not Recommended
Washington DC (Largo Extension) N/A N/A N/A $397 Recommended
Average $17.86 $8,037 13.6 $24,886
Calculated from Federal Transit Administration Data

http://www.fta.dot.gov/library/policy/ns/Table%201-A.htm


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