One shibboleth deeply-held by big-government new urbanists is that rail rapid transit improves property values and spurs development. A professor of urban planning at UB has conducted a study, and shazam, he concludes its true here, too.
Houses located within a half-mile radius of Buffalo's light rail stations are assessed to be valued between $1,300 and $3,000 more than houses not within walking distance to a station, according to University at Buffalo study.
The study, "Impact of Proximity to Light Rail Rapid Transit on Station-area Property Values in Buffalo, New York" by Daniel Hess, assistant professor of urban and regional planning in the UB School of Architecture, found property values were increased in neighborhoods close to stations at the UB South Campus, LaSalle Street, Amherst Street, Humboldt Avenue-Sisters Hospital, Delavan Avenue-Canisus, Allen Street-Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus and Fountain Plaza.
Now, it might just be that these are some of central Buffalo's nicest neighborhoods to begin with. You'll notice that the area around the Utica Street station doesn't figure in the list, for example. I've seen no evidence after living here for 15 years that Buffalo's middle class gives a damn about being near public transport. They don't use it.
I have a feeling this study will be widely-cited in the future. Local light-rail proponents have been looking for some economic figures to justify expanding the system. But if they do, think back and ask yourself this. 20 years ago we dug up Main Street to build the subway and nearly destroyed it in the process. If, after all that time, housing values nearby are a measly $1,000 to $3,000 more than those 1/2 mile away -- was it really a good use of our money?
[UPDATE:] Just for the record, I'm a public transport fan, I just realize that it can become an expensive showtoy if allowed to. Now that the weather's nice I take the Elmwood bus to work in Tonawanda just about every day. But even though that bus travels through some of Buffalo's wealthiest and supposedly most socially-conscious neighborhoods, I'm here to tell you that I'm one of two or three passengers in office clothes.
As it travels up Elmwood, there's perhaps one person at each stop -- usually a schoolkid. There are more at the intersections (Utica, Delevan, etc.) where the east-west buses cross. Ridership is overwhelmingly minority and obviously not so well-to-do. It seems that even with gas well over $3/gallon, those most likely to advocate transit expansion don't use it themselves. How odd.
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