Dallas Tests Battery-Power Streetcar March 15th, 2011
DALLAS, 8 March 2011 — One of the streetcars being considered by the City of Dallas took a test drive on DART Rail tracks March 8, transporting DART officials and news media between Akard, Victory and Baylor University Medical Center stations.
The ameriTRAMâ„¢ prototype is manufactured by Kinkisharyo, the maker of DART’s [and Phoenix's] light rail vehicles. The ameriTRAMâ„¢ is electric and is powered by either overhead catenary, like DART Rail, or on-board lithium-ion batteries. The vehicle can travel up to five miles on a full charge. It is 100% low floor and fully accessible. DART is working as a technical advisor with the City of Dallas on a number of streetcar projects, including the planned connection to Oak Cliff, a connection with the McKinney Avenue Trolley and a future downtown streetcar network.
Video and rest of the story here.
How A Metro Green Line might Look February 24th, 2011
Click above to see how METRO on Thomas Road would complement the existing line (shown as the Red Line, for the bus it replaced).
These are example stations only, but are representative of the areas the train would serve.
For complete detail, see John Gale’s article, “METRO should be on Thomas, not I-10″.
METRO should be on Thomas, not I-10 February 24th, 2011
The issues here are:
- Light Rail along I-10 is a bad idea.
- Light Rail should, whenever possible, follow arterial streets.
- In lieu of I-10 and in light of #2 we propose Thomas Road.
- Light Rail could follow Thomas Road all the way, or an alternative route to Glendale, or both.
- Getting across I-17 and Grand/BNSF are challenging, and will probably be quite expensive, but must be addressed sooner or later.
Phoenix light-rail expansion plans prove divisive December 9th, 2010
Phoenix activist opposes proposed route for western extension
Arizona Republic, 2010-12-09
A Phoenix man is hoping to derail Metro light rail’s plans to lay track through his neighborhood as part of an 11-mile extension to the city’s west side.
John Maurin, who has lived in the St. Matthew neighborhood north of the state Capitol for all of his 61 years, has attended several public meetings about Metro’s proposal to build the extension on Jefferson Street from Central Avenue, past the Capitol and state buildings, through his neighborhood to Interstate 17, then north to Interstate 10 and west into Tolleson.
…[H]e’s collecting petition signatures to fight the plans….
The current line runs 19 miles through west Mesa, Tempe and central Phoenix. The proposed western extension would connect to the rail at Central Avenue near Jefferson Street, near the CityScape retail and office complex.
Metro wants the western extension to be finished by 2021. Construction would begin in 2015…
Metro plans to hold one or more public hearings about the extension in February. Starting in March, it plans to seek the endorsement of the Phoenix City Council, the Maricopa Association of Governments Management Committee and the Metro light-rail board. The Regional Council for the Maricopa Association of Governments will have the final say.
Rest of the story: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2010/12/09/20101209phoenix-light-rail-neighborhood-petition.html
COMMENTARY:
Other advocates have called for Metro’s next line to be on Thomas Road, which has the highest ridership bus line in the Valley. Metro is only planning two or three stops along Highway 10 between downtown Phoenix and Route 101 in the west Valley.
Mesa METRO Extension Open House, 2010-12-10 November 25th, 2010
METRO Press Release –
Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Review
One opportunity to review is a public meeting on Dec. 10, 2010
METRO and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) report for the Central Mesa extension of light rail on Main Street to Mesa Drive in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The federally-required EA evaluates the potential impacts to the neighboring environment. Many social, economical, and environmental categories were evaluated including noise and vibration, traffic and parking, historical and archaeological resources, and potential impacts related to construction activities. METRO will take public comments on the draft EA from Nov. 24 – Dec. 24, 2010. All comments received by Dec. 24, 2010 will be addressed in the Final EA.
The public is invited to attend an open house in which project staff will provide information, respond to questions and receive comments on the Draft EA.
Friday, Dec. 10, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.
OneOhOne Gallery
101 W. Main St., Mesa
Copies of the Draft EA are also available for review at the following locations:
- METRO’s website – www.metrolightrail.org/centralmesa
- METRO’s office – 101 N. 1st Ave., Ste. 1300, Phoenix
- Mesa’s Main Library – 64 E. 1st St., Mesa
For additional information or to submit comments in writing or by phone, please contact:
Robert Forrest, METRO
101 N. 1st Ave., Ste. 1300
Phoenix, AZ, 85003
602-322-4514 phone
rforrest@metrolightrail.org
Jerome Wiggins Federal Transit Administration, Region IX
201 Mission St., Ste. 1650, San Francisco, CA, 94105-1831
415-744-2819 phone jerome.wiggins@fta.dot.gov
An electronic comment form is also available at www.metrolightrail.org/centralmesa. Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations by contacting Robert Forrest at 602-322-4514/TTY 602-322-4499.
