<P> However, the National Transportation Statistics report published by the US Department of Transportation states that "Caution must be exercised in comparing fatalities across modes because significantly different definitions are used . In particular, Rail and Transit fatalities include incident - related (as distinct from accident - related) fatalities, such as fatalities from falls in transit stations or railroad employee fatalities from a fire in a workshed . Equivalent fatalities for the Air and Highway modes (fatalities at airports not caused by moving aircraft or fatalities from accidents in automobile repair shops) are not counted toward the totals for these modes . Thus, fatalities not necessarily directly related to in service transportation are counted for the transit and rail modes, potentially overstating the risk for these modes ." </P> <P> Light rail lines have various policies on bicycles . Some fleets restrict bicycles on trains during peak hours . Some light rail systems, such as the St. Louis MetroLink, allow bicycles on the trains, but only in the rear sections of cars . Some light rail lines, like San Francisco's, allow only folding bicycles on board . In some systems dedicated bike parking is available at select stations and others are integrated with local bike share systems . </P> <P> The cost of light rail construction varies widely, largely depending on the amount of tunneling and elevated structures required . A survey of North American light rail projects shows that costs of most LRT systems range from $15 million to over $100 million per mile . Seattle's new light rail system is by far the most expensive in the US, at $179 million per mile, since it includes extensive tunneling in poor soil conditions, elevated sections, and stations as deep as 180 feet (55 m) below ground level . This results in costs more typical of subways or rapid transit systems than light rail . At the other end of the scale, four systems (Baltimore, Maryland; Camden, New Jersey; Sacramento, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah) incurred construction costs of less than $20 million per mile . Over the US as a whole, excluding Seattle, new light rail construction costs average about $35 million per mile . </P> <P> By comparison, a freeway lane expansion typically costs $1.0 million to $8.5 million per lane mile for two directions, with an average of $2.3 million . However, freeways are frequently built in suburbs or rural areas, whereas light rail tends to be concentrated in urban areas, where right of way and property acquisition is expensive . Similarly, the most expensive US highway expansion project was the "Big Dig" in Boston, Massachusetts, which cost $200 million per lane mile for a total cost of $14.6 billion . Since a light rail track can carry up to 20,000 people per hour as compared with 2,000--2,200 vehicles per hour for one freeway lane, light rail is comparable in construction cost to freeways on a per passenger - mile basis . For example, in Boston and San Francisco, light rail lines carry 9,600 and 13,100 passengers per hour, respectively, in the peak direction during rush hour . </P>

How much does it cost to build a light rail system