Do you have a link to the numbers? I'm curious about the actual costs, since what you're saying contradicts Shivetya. Without numbers and sources, I have no idea who's actually right.
I’ve been trying to find the case study for a few months anymore, but since the website redesign in 2004 it’s been less accessible, and recently I can’t find it anymore at all. If I find it, I’ll link it.
Obviously, it depends on the actual situation.
Replacing routes where busses are running as rare as every 10 or 15 min, like suburban routes, makes no sense.
But downtown routes where articulated and bi-articulated busses are running every minute, and they still can’t cope with the demand? Well, that’s exactly what light rail was made for.
To be fair, Shivetya didn't back up his claim either; in fact he almost made it sound like roads and buses cost nothing with his last sentence, which is exactly why I asked that inconvenient question.
Obviously, it depends on the actual situation.
Replacing routes where busses are running as rare as every 10 or 15 min, like suburban routes, makes no sense.
But downtown routes where articulated and bi-articulated busses are running every minute, and they still can’t cope with the demand? Well, that’s exactly what light rail was made for.