Arizona Rail Passenger Association

Full story by Sean Holstege in the Arizona Republic, 14 April 2010

Changing demographics, ridership patterns point to different lines in future

Regional planners are mapping new light-rail lines in places that were inconceivable a few years ago, as they grapple with how urban Arizona takes shape in the coming half-century.

Preliminary studies show that sufficient demand will exist for light rail to succeed on 44th Street, Camelback Road, south Central Avenue, Bell Road and other routes not previously planned, building a web far more expansive than what is currently envisioned…

Proposed METRO Rail Station Name Changes.

Transit systems in every city in America and across the world have stations named for landmarks, to help visitors and residents find their way. If Washington DC named their stations the way the Phoenix stations are named, they would have a station called “12^th Street and Independence Avenue SW” instead of “Smithsonian.”

Phoenix’s Metro, for unknown political reasons, has utterly failed to name their train stations. Stations need proper names to establish a sense of place, foster community pride, and make the system easy to talk about.

I served as a volunteer on opening day. On that day and ever since, tourists have asked me what station the Airport is at, and does the train go to Sun Devil Stadium? Even Congressman and former Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell didn’t know what “Veterans Way and College Avenue” was – it needs to be the Sun Devil Transit Center. Worringly, Metro has issued safety alerts about the “Tempe Transportation Center” but without explaining that is the same as the  “Veterans Way and College Avenue” station.  Two different names for the same station! The same problem exists with Central Station, the downtown bus terminal, which also has the redundant train station name of “Van Buren and Central Avenue.”

Short, simple station names help riders find their destinations quickly. They help tourists know what is along the line. They make maps easier to read. Stations become sources of neighborhood identity. Naming stations after street addresses is cold, confusing and unhelpful. When riding the #17 bus, the announcements say, “Approaching 16th Street” and “Approaching 24th Street” — not “Approaching 16th Street and McDowell” and then “Approaching 24th Street and McDowell” — the McDowell part is obvious because that’s the bus you are on. Repeatedly saying “…and Central” on the train is silly and pedantic.

Worse, announcements talk about eastbound and westbound trains, but the platforms are not signed that way, unlike other transit systems. Nor do Metro’s maps point out east and west (it is not obvious to everyone.)

Furthermore, the stations with two platforms need to be named as one station. Signs there should be updated to, for example, “For Dobson, use platform on 1st Avenue.” Boston eliminated confusing one-way station names (Milk one way, Water the other) in the 1960s.

These station names must be changed as soon as possible.

Even more bizarrely, scrolling signs on the platforms read “Thank you for riding Metro” while on the trains they read “Thank you for riding the Metro” — pick one, folks!  And “light rail” is an adjective — METRO is a light rail line operating light rail vehicles to light rail platforms.  You do not ride “the light rail” any more than you ride “the diesel.” The rails sit firmly in the streets.  METRO trains are trolleys, just like in San Diego.  Or “trams” to use the British word, but “trolley” is simpler and historically correct to Phoenix.

The entire line should then resume the Red Line name, as it replaced the (pre-metro) Red Line bus… and before that, the Washington Street #1 streetcars which carried red marker lights since the 1920s at least… giving the Red Line an eighty-plus year history. As other lines are built, they should resume the color line names (Green Line on Thomas — not Highway 10!, Blue Line northeast on Highway 51, etc.)

– William Lindley, Arizona Rail Passenger Association. 2010-02-25.

…Although Metro’s passenger service isn’t set to begin until late December, earlier this week the rail line through Tempe into Mesa saw its first train. It was a test run, one of many scheduled over the coming months…Hallman, while touting light rail as part of an integrated transportation system, took the opportunity to voice support for commuter rail.

Commuter rail is a transit alternative that would be part of a $42 billion transportation ballot initiative that may go before Arizona voters in November…

Rest of the story in the East Valley Tribune

Tempe is more of a hub for Chandler residents than officials thought.Mike Normand, Chandler transportation planning manager, said he was surprised by a recent consultant’s report that estimates more than 15,000 people from west and central Chandler drive to Arizona State University every day and more than 60,000 make a daily Chandler-to-Tempe trip for business, shopping or dining…

The report was aired at a recent City Council study session. It’s part of a two-year study by Metro, which is trying to decide the best way to extend the initial 20-mile light-rail line being built…

Marc Soronson, project manager for the Tempe South Alternatives Analysis, said… his priority is extending the light rail line… to Southern Avenue… Normand said Chandler wants to be at the table [on further extensions]…

Planners’ biggest hurdles will be putting a light rail line over or under a Union Pacific track north of Broadway Road and extending a rail line on the already congested Rural Road..

Jyme Sue McLaren, deputy public works manager for Tempe, said city designers are preparing to suggest a hybrid light rail line along Rural Road that would share left turn lanes with cars and wouldn’t requiring elimination of driving lanes or destruction of street-side businesses.

Rest of the story in the Arizona Republic

State estimates project that by 2015, transportation funding will decline to the point that much of the state will only be able to maintain and preserve existing roadways…

The assessment is at the heart of a new planning document identifying nearly $42.6 billion worth of critical transportation needs. In the 21-page report, the Arizona Department of Transportation says the state is at a transportation-funding crossroads…

The proposed solution is a new 1 cent statewide sales tax over 30 years and more participation by the private sector in transportation projects. The money would pay for roadways, rail projects… [emphasis added - ARPA staff]…

The plan is being pushed by a group of business and economic-development leaders called the TIME coalition… [and] Gov. Janet Napolitano…

Rest of the story in the Arizona Republic