Light rail transit as a tool for urban brownfield revitalization

In Europe and in North America, Light Rail Transit (LRT) is increasingly being seen as a viable and attractive transportation option which is not as cost prohibitive as heavy rail, yet carries more passengers and travels at higher speeds than traditional bus transit. Brownfield regeneration is at the forefront of urban land use policy, as cities try to reign in sprawl and address local economic, social, and environmental implications of such underused or abandoned sites. This paper will examine the relationship between the implementation of LRT in urban environments, and how that investment in transportation infrastructure affects the regeneration of urban brownfield sites. This will be achieved through the use of three urban case studies, each with subpopulations between 100,000 – 500,000. Key Words: Light Rail Transit, Brownfield, Transportation, Sustainability, Urban Mobility, Urban Financing, Municipal Plans and Policies.