Subject: Peoria to pay membership fee to Valley Metro Rail & Word's out: Greenway Road has slick, new bus route
Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 9:46 PM

Word's out: Greenway Road has slick, new bus route
By Audrie Garrison
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2007 01:02 PM 
Mike Lofgren sat on the side of a busy intersection Monday morning,
waiting in the heat for the bus to pick him up to take him to work.

But that was an improvement to his normal routine, he said. Lofgren was
waiting for the new Greenway Road route of the city bus to pick him up,
which will cut his commute to work from a 45-minute walk along the
highway to a five-minute ride in a new, air-conditioned bus.

Monday marked the first day for changes for the city bus system,
including the Greenway route, extended routes and new vehicles. While
the bus was relatively empty in its first hours of operation, Lofgren
said he is sure it will catch on once more people know about it. 

"It's really hot," he said. "And I know a lot of people that walk down
Greenway all the time."

Greenway's Route 154 actually was the most demanded addition to the
system, said Julie Eidson, a manager for Valley Metro.

Richard Anderson, a driver on the morning route, said he expects the
route to be popular once word gets out.

"It hasn't been overly populated yet, but it will be," Anderson said.

Anderson said the route goes past two high schools, Horizon High School
and Greenway High School, which will attract a lot of riders.

"This street has needed a route for a long time," said Anderson, who
lives in the area. "Things are changing. They're getting better."

Fifteen-year-old Phoenix residents Michael Aanenson and Michael Mariscal
rode the Greenway route on its first day from 32nd Street to Scottsdale
Road. They said the route cut about 15 minutes off their weekly trip to
the driving range at Cracker Jax Family Fun and Sports Park.

Aanenson said he will probably continue to use the route and thinks
other people will too.

"It's a lot faster," he said. "You don't have to switch buses."

The Valley Metro changes this week cut Aanenson and Mariscal's commute
down from a three-bus trip to a two-bus trip.

"(The new routes) are a lot nicer," Mariscal said. "It's more
convenient."

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Peoria to pay membership fee to Valley Metro Rail
Cecilia Chan
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2007 12:00 AM 
PEORIA - The city will pay an annual membership fee not to exceed
$50,000 to join Valley Metro Rail.

The move will allow the city to piggyback on a study that is looking at
options for light-rail services to Glendale's sports and entertainment
district. The Glendale extension is expected to open in 2017, according
to Metro.

Engineering Director David Moody said the study's findings would enable
Peoria to preserve rights of way should it have light rail.

Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe and Mesa formed a partnership in 2002 to plan,
design, build and operate a regional light-rail transit system.

The initial 20-mile line is expected to open in December 2008. 

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