Until the recent emphasis on bus rapid transit, (BRT), light rail transit (LRT) has been the modern symbol of modern mass transit in the United States. When I refer to light rail I am including trams, modern street cars, trolleys that generally follow or parallel streets. It does not include commuter rail (sometime referred to as heavy rail) or subways/metros.
Portland - Source: panoramio.com
In the United States, Portland, Oregon has received the most press attention and accolades for its light rail system. But, Portland is not alone. Many other cities in the states and around the world employ light rail into their multi-modal transportation network.
As an urban planner and voter, I am concerned is that the distribution of light rail transit funding appears to be lopsided towards urban areas in the south and west. Based on the lists provided below, 19 light rail systems are in the south and west, while only 11 are in the north and east. Similarly, 13 heritage streetcars operate in the south and west, while just two are in the north and east.
Here’s a list of the systems operating or about to open in North America:
Calgary - Source: activeminds.ca
Canada
- Calgary, Alberta
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Toronto, Ontario
Cuba
- Havana
Mexico
- Monterrey
- Guadalajara
- Mexico City
United States (light rail)
- Austin, Texas
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Buffalo, New York
- Camden, New Jersey
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Dallas, Texas
- Denver, Colorado
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Houston, Texas
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Los Angeles, California
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Newark, New Jersey
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Oceanside, California
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Sacramento, California
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- San Jose, California
- Seattle, Washington
- Tacoma, Washington
- Washington, DC (2012)
Kenosha logo - Source: krc.goflo.com
United States (heritage streetcars)
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Dallas, Texas
- Galveston, Texas
- Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Little Rock/North Little Rock, Arkansas
- Memphis, Tennessee
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Portland, Oregon
- San Francisco, California
- San Pedro, California
- Savannah, Georgia
- Seattle, Washington
- Tampa, Florida
- Tucson, Arizona
Busiest Light Rail Systems in the USA
City Daily Boardings
- Boston 232,000
- San Francisco 170,900
- Los Angeles 169,800
- Portland 147,100
- San Diego 133,400
- Philadelphia 97,700
- Dallas 75,400
- Denver 66,900
- Salt Lake City 55,500
- St. Louis 53,200
- Sacramento 45,300
- Jersey City 40,975
- Phoenix 40,600
- Houston 36,600
- Minneapolis 35,100
- San Jose 33,400
- Baltimore 32,400
- Miami 31,100
- Seattle 27,100
- Pittsburgh 24,200
- Buffalo 22,200
- Newark 18,807
- New Orleans 17,500
- Charlotte 15,100
- Cleveland 8,900
- Camden 8,762
- Oceanside 8,100
- Norfolk 5,100
problogic
Panethos 
You have Phoenix in the list of passenger counts, but you don’t have it in the general list above it.
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Good catch – will correct that
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Reblogged this on Bloggable City and commented:
Light Rail is a great thing for big cities to move people from place to place. It just makes sense to me!
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Thank you.
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Miami, FL does not really have light rail, unless you were referring to the downtown peoplemover. They do have the “heavy rail” mostly-elevated Metrorail, a commuter rail line, and an abandoned railroad line south of town is used for BRT.
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Thank you
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Given the small number of passengers, I believe this is referring to the people mover. Thanks for you concern.
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