Was light rail service seductive enough to lure middle class tourists out of their cars?
Absolutely. Our conference-goers were middle-to-upper class folks from around the country. They were overhwelmingly white and mostly male. Many drove in. Many took airplanes in. Many had folding bikes – the most popular brand by far was Bike Friday, a botique folding bike that can fit in your lap. How did these folks get into the entertainment district at night? Ride their botique folding bikes? No. Drive their cars? Oh Hell No. They hopped on the light rail, fare $1.75. There were also a gazillion buses going up and down the same corridor. Nobody bothered to figure out the bus routes. Buses were considered too confusing. They could go anywhere. But those light rail tracks were a wayfinding device that even the dumbest tourist could figure out. The ride was smooth and quiet. The whole system seemed so new and clean that it felt like it went in last week. In reality it is 22 years old. A very well maintained system.
