traingang

In USA, there isnt consistent funding to build new lines. This leads to great inneficiency and more cost overruns when a new workforce needs to be built from the bottom up and properly trained to complete one project, and is then disbanded.

In SD, we recently (well, its been like 2 years now) finished a long awaited extension of one of our 3 light rail lines. But once it was complete, the contractors involved disbanded because we can only build one line every 30 years i guess. There is talk of the next line, but it probably wont break ground until 2040 or later. Land wont get cheaper, wages wont get lower, and now the entire apparatus of contractors to build it will have to be built back up.

If we could preemptively fund and plan multiple extensions and new lines to be built consecutively, according to a comprehensive plan, things would be done much faster and cheaper. The way it typically is in the USA though is just comrpomosed piecemeal additions every decade or two, that will never add up to a comprehensive transit system