From: "Friends of Transit" To: Subject: Fw: An Editoral thought you might be interested in.... Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:17 PM ----- Original Message ----- From: Friends of Transit Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:04 PM Subject: An Editoral thought you might be interested in.... Patience: Crews at work Routines will require planning as rail system is built Oct. 20, 2003 12:00 AM Valley Metro wisely is leaving nothing to chance as it prepares for three years of light-rail construction that will tear apart streets and mean fewer customers for many businesses. It's still unknown when ground will officially be broken next year and how much the Federal Transit Administration will provide in federal funds for the project. But one thing is certain: There will be severe disruptions, even pain, for commuters, businesses and nearby residents. Good communication will be crucial if the impact of construction is to be minimized. Lane closures and difficulty in making left turns could make a trip to that favorite coffee shop an adventure. There will be lots of noise and dust. For more than a year, Valley Metro has worked with businesses along the initial 20-mile route through Phoenix, Tempe and into Mesa. In Phoenix alone, 3,292 businesses will be affected, compared with 300 businesses in Salt Lake City during construction of a light-rail system there. Only one business failure was attributed to construction in Salt Lake City. If that same ratio applies here, about a dozen local shopkeepers could be at risk. Valley Metro's outreach program, culled from the experiences of other light-rail cities, underscores the need to communicate with business owners. Construction schedules will be posted on Valley Metro's Web site. Instead of annoying voice mail, a light-rail hotline, with a staff person available around the clock to handle complaints and answer questions, will be available. A novel feature will be community advisory boards composed of neighbors and business and community leaders who will evaluate contractor performance. If contractors are insensitive to concerns - such as too much dust or noise - the boards can recommend that payments to contractors be withheld until corrective action is taken. This is the kind of accountability that should minimize impacts. Some businesses with complex challenges appropriately will get an extra boost. They'll be able to team with honor business students at Arizona State University who will work with the owner to craft a plan that addresses problems likely to be encountered during construction. Though there will be no financial bailouts if companies go under, local chambers of commerce and the Small Business Administration will assist with loans, consulting and marketing plans to try to prevent business failures. Three years of construction will be a major challenge. Valley Metro is working hard to head off problems, and residents and businesses will need plenty of patience. But when the light-rail line is up and running in 2006, the system will offer residents an easy alternative for getting around and bring new customers to the doors of businesses. As residential projects locate near the line and every-day services such as child care and dry cleaners cluster around the stops, light rail will become an important part of our lives. Sure, there's some big pain ahead, but at the end there's a far bigger gain.