I say that based on the strong reactions to my column on June 19 advocating for the Blue Line light rail extension through north Minneapolis. "Please think more about how light rail isn't the correct fit for this route. "Just ride that light rail and you see plenty of boarded up, empty spaces with no real enjoyment of the area," she added. Light rail trains and the infrastructure they require are too big to offer the frequent stops that street cars once did, Markle and other critics say. The most persuasive counterpoint to my column, though, was far simpler and came from numerous people: Ridership on the existing light rail system has fallen.