Light-rail at street level is very efficient, moving many passengers in comfort without disrupting the streets.  They are found in 500 cities world-wide include 30 in America:    /  Austin	  /  Baltimore  /  Boston  /  Buffalo	  /  Camden-Trenton  /  Denver  /  Detroit  /  Houston	  /  Jersey City  /  Kansas City	  /  Los Angeles  /  Minneapolis-St. Paul  /  Newark  /  Norfolk  /  Oceanside-Escondido   /  Phoenix	  /  Portland 	  /  Sacramento  /  Salt Lake City  /  San Diego  /  San Francisco  /  San Jose  /  Seattle  South Lake Union Streetcar. --   /  Seattle First Hill Streetcar -- Central Link  /  Tacoma	  /  Tucson	  /  Washington D.C.
...and...
It could be built in a few years
-would be easier to access, with useful routes, attracting more riders 
-would not mar downtown with a huge ugly elevated structure
-uses existing public right-of-way, no private property needs to be condemned 
-services existing residential and commercial locations rather than luxe tourist shopping mall