[Jasoncw]

Basically, yeah. The private investors are putting their money into it because they believe that it will increase the value of their real estate. Each one is only putting a few million into it (the rest of the private money was from grants and matching dollars and stuff like that), and they'll easily make their investments back.

I don't remember the details but I remember reading that the curbside rail with a ton of stops is stronger for the real estate/development aspect than the same stretch with fewer stops in the center. At least I think that applies to the number of stops, the curb-running aspect might just be Gilbert's personal preference.

Of course, what makes the land even more valuable is being along a line that's part of a functioning light rail system, and it looks like that's not happening.


The discussion here makes expanding the People Mover sound appealing. I've never thought it would be a good idea, but if it would really cost that little to add more track it wouldn't be bad. There are already a bunch of extra trains, so you'd get a lot of value by just throwing some tracks around. Someone mentioned the aesthetics of elevated rail on Woodward, but I think Woodward is so barren that People Mover tracks might help make it feel more intimate. The only area it would hurt aesthetically is by the DIA/Library. Since the trains need to turn around anyway it could split off into a narrow loop on Cass and John R from Warren until New Center. Also, my understanding was that one of the main cons to expanding the People Mover was that the technology wasn't used anymore, but the company that makes it is still in business and Vancouver has been very busy expanding their system recently.