NS Gives Green Light to Georgia Regional Rail May 24th, 2011
According to an article on ‘Political Insider’ Norfolk-Southern says: If voters approve, we’re ready to negotiate Macon-Atlanta passenger rail.
Phoenix METRO, March 2011 Ridership April 12th, 2011
The Phoenix trolley (“light rail”) system had a good March even as weekday ridership declined slightly. Saturdays now see as many riders as weekdays did at the system’s opening, and Sunday ridership is nearly at the originally-projected weekday levels.
Phoenicians are using the trolleys not just as “commuter trains” but as all-day-long trolleys for school, shopping, and fun.
Can there be a clearer reason not to build the second line along Highway 10, but rather west on Thomas Road from Midtown Station (Thomas and Central) to 35th Avenue and out to Downtown Glendale? See How a METRO Green Line Might Look.
| February 2011 | March 2011 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Boardings | 1,080,821 | 1,214,276 |
| Average Weekday | 45,074 | 42,234 |
| Average Saturday | 29,006 | 35,692 |
| Average Sunday | 21,680 | 25,029 |
From: METRO
Phoenix Santa Fe depot reopens as county offices March 31st, 2011
Adjacent Union Station may still be idle (other than being used by SPRINT maintenance vehicles) but the Santa Fe freight depot is alive again:
After remaining vacant for more than 40 years, a historic Phoenix rail depot opened its doors this week with a new identity as a county office space.
About 70 employees of the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office moved in Friday at the old Santa Fe Freight Depot at Fifth Avenue and Jackson Street. The building, once a hub of railroad activity where goods were shipped in and out of Phoenix, will open in May for a different group of visitors: county residents appealing property valuations.
Maricopa County spent $4 million renovating the county-owned building to house employees… The county bought the building in 1999…
Rest of the story:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/03/31/20110331santa-fe-depot.html
Funding sources absent in Arizona’s rail-network plan March 28th, 2011
From the Arizona Republic, 2011-03-28:
A state transportation panel has approved Arizona’s first comprehensive rail plan, which is necessary to build a passenger rail network but doesn’t address the question of how to pay for improvements…
Arizona Department of Transportation planners recommend linking, by various types of rail, Phoenix with its suburbs, neighboring cities and the rest of the country. The wide-ranging plan calls for short- and long-haul passenger rail and freight improvements. It envisions new tracks and restored freight lines that could be used to carry people and goods.
Specifically, the plan calls for a commuter-train system connecting the East and West Valley suburbs, plus an intercity system to connect Phoenix and Tucson.
It also envisions longer-haul passenger rail lines, with track to reach Las Vegas, Los Angeles or both with high-speed bullet trains…
Rest of the story here.
ARPA on the 2011 State Rail Plan March 17th, 2011
State Transportation Board
c/o Arizona Department of Transportation
206 South 17th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85007
RE: Arizona State Rail Plan
Dear State Transportation Board Members:
The Arizona Rail Passenger Association fully supports ADOT’s plan to improve the infrastructure of our state, and we respectfully request your support of the State Rail Plan.
ARPA educates the public — from individuals to civic groups to public officials — about the benefits of passenger rail specifically, and balanced multimodal transportation in general. We have been long-time rail advocates in Arizona and it is exciting to see that concrete steps are being taken to bring passenger rail to our state. We know that a modern transportation system — one that includes a comprehensive network of passenger rail services — will bring enormous benefits to Arizona.
Arizona has experienced a dramatic growth in population in a relatively short time period — our rate of growth has been one of the nation’s highest over the past decade. We need a transportation system that supports the renewed economic vitality of our state by providing both mode choice and mobility to all our citizens and visitors — not just those with access to automobiles.
Passenger rail provides travelers with a transportation option that will get them to their destination safely, quickly, and comfortably. With the price of gasoline rising dramatically in recent weeks, it is all the more critical that we build Arizona the modern, multimodal transportation system our citizens and visitors deserve.
Please support the State Rail Plan.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Robert H. Bohannan, AICP, President
