There’s been much rejoicing (of the weary, cautious, hesitant variety) over the planned extension of the Green Line to West Medford. But Streetsblog has an interview with Walter Hook, director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, in which he says that BRT (bus rapid transit) makes more sense than light rail:

Very good BRT systems have been built for as little as $8 million a mile. With the same capital budget, we could build more than twice as much proper BRT as light rail, probably 5 to 10 times more, with no loss in the quality of service, the capacity, or the speed. Even counting the contribution to total life cycle costs of operating and maintenance costs, BRT is a bargain…

But wait. Hook hastens to add that it’s not always a bargain:

Of course, you can mess up a BRT system, and Boston’s Silver Line proved that you could waste almost as much money on BRT as you can on a rail system.

Oh, well. If the T is going to waste money either way, it’s better to have a cozy trolley than a pokey bus.