From: "FRIENDS OF TRANSIT NEWS" To: "Friends of Transit" Subject: Letter to the Editor Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 12:19 AM We thought we'd send you a recent copy of a Letter to the Editor by Mr. Scott Hume. If you or any of your friends send in such letters to the editor, feel free to send us a copy as Mr. Hume has done. Thank You, David Schwartz david@friendsoftransit.org http://www.friendsoftransit.org As an independent community activist who was involved with Transit 2000, I must take issue iwth Joseph Ryan's July 28th "My Turn" column ("Light rail will make streets more dangerous"). And I'd like to provide information which should adequately address his concerns. The current light-rail master routing plan calls for approximately twenty miles of grade-level track, with stops from every SEVERAL blocks to up to a mile. [Elevated service was not a consideration, as it has been repeatedly voted down due to cost.] Future phases of the project are proposed to carry trains (NOT "trolleys" or even "streetcars") into Glendale and Ahwatukee, pending local approval and federal funds. Light-rail will also connect to Sky Harbor's proposed 'people-mover!' Possible decreases in automobile carrying capacity on streets (due to tracks and stations) has been looked into and will be mitigated as needed by re-striping. Additional safety "curbs on either side of the...tracks" will prevent auto-rail conflicts. I won't address Mr. Ryan's other various concerns, because in doing so the salient transportation issues would only be clouded. However, I DO agree that focused, regional planning is a continuing must as we work towards bettering our quality of life in the Valley. Scott Hume Phoenix, Arizona (602) 817-6961 schume@hotmail.com http://www.angelfire.com/az/schume