July 3, 2008

Friends,

Recently there has been much discussion regarding the light rail whether it be the increased economic development along the alignment or the location of the alignment itself.  This edition of the Weekly Update includes the City of Phoenix City Council decision to modify the initial alignment of the light rail line along 19^th Avenue from Bethany Home to Dunlap to reduce neighborhood disruption.  The change is not expected to delay completion of the project and is an example of the community working with local government to arrive at mutually beneficial improvements.  Click here for the full story.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend!

In the News:
South Mountain Freeway goes nowhere at session, The Arizona Republic, June 26, 2008
Neighbors, city still haggling over rail options, Tribune, June 27, 2008
Chandler rewriting transit plan to be ‘most connected city, The Arizona Republic, June 27, 2008
New Bus Service Featured in July Bus Book, Valley Metro Press Release, June 30, 2008
ADOT recommends walls to decrease future freeway noise, The Arizona Republic, July 1, 2008
Light Rail Extension to be redesigned to appease residents, The Arizona Republic, July 2, 2008
Transit, State trust land petitions turned in, Capitol Media Services, July 3, 2008



Don’t forget to visit Friends of Transit on the web at www.friendsoftransit.org!

 

South Mountain Freeway goes nowhere at session
by MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE
June 26,.2008

More than two decades after planning began for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, it’s not concrete that has hardened but attitudes.

Wednesday night marked the first meeting in years between transportation officials and residents of Ahwatukee Foothills, where the proposed freeway would cut west from Interstate 10 toward the West Valley.

But it was apparent from the start that in the interim, nothing has changed: People still hate the idea.

During the Arizona Department of Transportation’s presentation, a consultant mentioned an option was to do nothing. That news was met with a burst of cheers and applause, despite the Valley’s crippling traffic.

The fate of Loop 202 has been debated since the mid-1980s, when the region’s current network of freeways was nothing more than lines on a highway planner’s map. Since then, the entire system has been constructed, save for a 4-mile stretch in east Mesa, but the South Mountain Freeway remains “under study.”

During that time, the estimated cost has ballooned to a current estimated $1.7 billion — and that sum most likely will climb again when ADOT releases an updated projection in September.

The 22-mile highway, under the current proposal, would run through Ahwatukee Foothills along Pecos Road, turn northwest on land owned by the Gila River Indian Community and then head north along 55th Avenue before joining I-10 in west Phoenix.

A benefit to the freeway, planners said, would be to act as a bypass around the crowded downtown area. But they also admit the route could result in the demolition of about 300 to 800 Ahwatukee Foothills homes, depending on whether the freeway is built above or below ground level.

Adding to the difficulties in getting a construction go-ahead, ADOT spokesman Tim Tait said an environmental impact study has been delayed by the Gila tribe’s recent designation of South Mountain as a sacred place.

According to the presentation, the freeway would require cutting through two ridges at a depth of 120 feet and width of 600 feet.

These obstacles explain why Tait used the word “if” to the crowd of about 150 at the Pecos Community Center.

“We’re not there yet,” Tait admitted.

Complicating ADOT’s plans is the skyrocketing price of gasoline.

With a statewide average per gallon of regular unleaded at $4.08, people are driving less while looking to save money via alternative travel modes. For example, it’s tough to find a spot to leave one’s car at Ahwatukee Foothills’ park-and-ride lot before catching a bus.

Resident Theresa Territo asked: “What could we use this money for instead? Can we find a greener, more appropriate solution?”

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Neighbors, city still haggling over rail options
by Betty Reid
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 27, 2008

While most issues along a 3.2-mile light-rail line in north central Phoenix have been resolved, there are major concerns involving less than a half-mile at the northern end of the Northwest Extension.

Some Royal Palm neighborhood residents, who live on the east side of 19th Avenue between Butler Drive and Dunlap Avenue, don't want to lose a frontage road and want the city to make changes in the light rail route.

They believe the road keeps noise and crime at bay and would prefer to see land taken on the west side of 19th Avenue. Others believe the light rail will enhance their property if a sound barrier is constructed.

The issue

Councilman Claude Mattox, whose district includes this part of north central Phoenix, boils it down in this manner:

"They (residents of the Royal Palm neighborhood) have a difference of an opinion about where they would like to see the alignment," Mattox said. "The question is which side of the street would property be taken for the additional traffic lanes for cars."

He recommends alignment fall on the west side instead the east side as originally proposed.

The city's four options

• Keep the existing design that will cost $297 million. It keeps light rail in the middle but to accommodate the additional width needed for the tracks and existing traffic lanes it removes the frontage road on the east side between Butler Drive and Townley Avenue.

• Keep the existing design east of 19th Avenue but lessen the impact on the Royal Palm neighborhood between Butler Drive and Townley Avenue by building a new frontage road or with the neighborhood approval, cul-de-sacs. This would require buying an additional six to eight more homes and part of the Montessori Center School. This plan would cost about $9 million more, or a total of $306 million. City staff members are recommending this option.

• Redesign light rail configuration so it impacts the west side of 19th Avenue between Butler and Townley rather than the east side. (This is the option Mattox prefers.) It keeps the frontage road between Butler Drive and Townley Avenue in place by buying right- of- way on the west side of 19th Avenue. It would require buying parts of two apartment complexes, parts of two churches and part of Royal Palm Middle School. This would delay the light rail project eight months and cost $18 million more for a total of $315 million.

• Stop light rail at Northern Avenue. This could cause a problem because there isn't a large space for a park and ride as there is on Dunlap. Extending light rail to Dunlap would be added to phase two of the Northwest Extension, anticipated to be completed by 2017. To make room for a park and ride and a station they would have to buy more real estate north of the Northern Avenue intersection. This could cost $62 million less.

Royal Palm neighbors comment

• Bob Chevalier, 66, moved into the area in 1964. He is worried light rail will bring increased traffic and the criminal element into the neighborhood. The city calls option one "neighborhood improvement but it looks like a neighborhood tear down to me," Chevalier said.

"They claim moving the lines over the west side will cost them an extra million over the cost of buying all these houses, I don't believe that," he said. "What's a million?"

• Robert Antram, has lived in the neighborhood since 2005. "Light rail doesn't make a difference to me because I drive my automobile," he said. "I'm in the second row of houses east of 19th, so I feel I'm safe."

• Ernani Regis, 52, moved to the neighborhood in 2004. Regis believes it will enhance home values and surrounding property, just as it has at the nearby Christown Spectrum Mall. He rode the subway and light rail in other cities where he used to live.

Light rail is good because of the energy crisis, Regis said.

"We Americans must realize that the energy crisis is here to stay," he said. "Also, we need to start educating the public about the public transit system."

The overall Northwest Project

• The first phase of Northwest Extension of Metro light rail, as designed now, would be completed by 2012. The 3.2 miles connects it with the other 20 miles of the light rail line that goes from north central Phoenix to Mesa. The city is paying for the Northwest Extension.

Light rail will be powered by electricity from overhead wires and will run on a track within the street right of way. Stations will be located within the medians. Each light rail vehicle has 66 seats and a capacity of 200 passengers, and can hold four bicycles and four wheelchairs.

Phoenix City Council meeting

• The four options will be discussed at 1 p.m. Wednesday at City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix.

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Chandler rewriting transit plan to be 'most connected' city
By Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 27, 2008

Chandler wants to be the Valley's "most connected" city and is rewriting its transportation plan to put bicyclists, pedestrians, buses and rail in the mix, said Mike Normand, transportation manager.

The most recent plan was written in 2001 and its focus on roads and autos are outdated, Normand told an audience of about 50 at a transportation public hearing Wednesday.

By next month, Chandler's bus service will grow by 50 percent and by the end of the year most north-south routes will connect to light-rail stations in Tempe and Mesa, he said.

It won't be long before bus riders will be able to sign up for automated cellphone calls or text messages that tell them when the next bus is arriving at their stop, Normand said.

An upswing in bicycling has the city looking at safe cycling routes and more of them, he said. High fuel prices, environmental concerns and an aging population are affecting residents' transportation preferences and will be factors in the city's decisions, Normand added. As for the roads, Chandler tracks traffic volumes, busy intersections and gridlock problems to plan improvements, he said.

Wendy Whitman drove from her home in Ahwatukee Foothills to tell Chandler officials she would like to make the cross-city trip by bus.

Public Works Director R.J. Zeder. He asked residents to fill out a transportation survey, a copy of which is on the municipal Web site: www.chandleraz.gov/Content /TransportationCommentForm_08.pdf.

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New Bus Service Featured in July Bus Book
Ride Free First Week on Four Introductory Bus Routes
By Susan Tierney
Valley Metro
June 30, 2008

PHOENIX (June 30, 2008) – On July 28, four new bus routes will begin serving the four corners of the Valley with free trips the first week to help commuters who want to save on fuel costs and spend time more effectively while traveling to work or school.

“We are excited to add service at a time when it is so crucial,” said David A. Boggs, Valley Metro executive director. “It means that we can provide more relief to more people.”

In addition, Route 61 (Southern Avenue) and Route 96 (Dobson Road) will be extended to serve more locations with additional hours of service. Additional trips, including Saturday service, rounds out the service changes funded by the half-cent sales tax* approved by voters in 2004. Other changes occurring on July 28 are being funded by local funds. Specific changes to service are noted below and new schedules can be downloaded at ValleyMetro.org.

NEW ROUTES
Route 511 – Chandler-Scottsdale Airpark (via Loop 101)*
Two-way commuter service, with 2 morning and 2 afternoon trips going both northbound and southbound, traveling between Arizona Avenue at Chicago Street and Scottsdale Airpark. The route will transition to the Chandler regional park-and-ride in December.
Hours of operation:  peak commute hours only

Route 535 – Red Mountain-Downtown Phoenix Express (via Loop 202)*
Two commuter trips traveling from Power and McDowell roads to downtown Phoenix with return two trips in the afternoon. One commuter trip will depart from Gilbert and McKellips roads to downtown Phoenix with one return trip in the afternoon.
Hours of operation:  peak commute hours only

Route 562 – Goodyear-Downtown Phoenix Express (via I-10)*
Three commuter trips traveling from Goodyear to downtown Phoenix with three return trips in the afternoon.
Hours of operation: peak commute hours only

Route 575 – Northwest Valley-Downtown Express (via I-17)*
Three commuter trips traveling from Arrowhead Towne Center to downtown Phoenix via the Loop 101 and I-17 with three return trips in the afternoon.
Hours of operation: peak commute hours only

ROUTE EXPANSIONS
Route 61* will have all trips extended into Mesa’s Superstition Springs Mall and trips will be added on weekdays and Saturdays. Sunday service will be offered on the entire route.

Route 96* will be extended north to serve Mesa Riverview Center and south to Ocotillo Road on weekdays and Saturdays, with additional trips. Sunday service introduced.

Route 571 will offer three weekday roundtrips between Surprise and downtown Phoenix.

Route 660* will offer four weekday roundtrips and two Saturday roundtrips between Wickenburg, Surprise and Glendale

SCHEDULE CHANGES
Green Line, 3, 17, 30, 41, 45, 61, 72, 81, 96, 156, DASH 

ROUTE CHANGES
• 65 – Extend south on Kyrene to Chandler Aquatic Center
• 81 – Travels south of ASU Research Park and south on McClintock to Chandler Blvd. and Chandler Fashion Mall
• 156 – Dobson Road turn eliminated
• DASH – look for new routes and schedules in August 2008

ATTENTION MESA PASSENGERS
Saturday service on Routes 30, 45, 77, 104, 120, 128 and 136 in Mesa will operate hourly. Weekday service on Route 136 will operate at hourly between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

LIGHT RAIL
Join us in celebrating this historic milestone for the Valley by riding for free on the two grand opening days, December 27 and 28. Beginning December 29, you'll be able to ride all day  with an all day bus and light rail pass costing $2.50 and a single ride pass only $1.25.

PLANNING A BUS TRIP AND BUYING FARES
The online trip planner will help with finding the best option for your travel.  Purchase fares online and get bus route information at ValleyMetro.org

* Service funded by the Proposition 400 Regional Transportation Plan funds approved by Maricopa County voters in November 2004.

Valley Metro/RPTA is an organization of 14 local governments that provides or funds transit services to citizens in the greater Phoenix metropolitan and surrounding areas. For more information about Valley Metro public transit services, call Transit Information at (602) 253-5000; for callers with TTY (602) 261-8208; or visit the Valley Metro website at www.ValleyMetro.org.

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ADOT recommends walls to decrease future freeway noise
By Colleen Sparks
The Arizona Republic
July 1, 2008

Some Ahwatukee Foothills residents are concerned about noise that the proposed South Mountain Freeway could generate. And they fear noise barriers would create unsightly walls.

Members of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)-led freeway study team talked about how the freeway would increase noise levels in some areas and suggested ways to mitigate the sound during a South Mountain Citizens Advisory Team meeting last week in south Phoenix.

Arizona addresses noise in residential areas when noise levels reach 64 decibels while the federal standard to mitigate noise in those areas is 67 decibels, Tim Tait, ADOT spokesman and study team member, said via e-mail. The threshold of pain to human ears is about 140 decibels, according to the freeway study team.

Construction and operation of this proposed freeway would introduce a major noise source into an area where such noise may not have existed in the past," a study team report stated.

Studies show that currently noise along the proposed freeway alignment ranges from 44 to 64 decibels, Tait said. If walls or other sound barriers were not used, the noise levels from the proposed freeway could range from 61 to 79 decibels in residential areas along the route, he said.

The initial noise barriers installed would be designed to reduce noise from the 56- to 68-decibel range, Tait said via e-mail.

Noise walls, which are generally 10 to 20 feet tall, could reduce sound, as could using rubberized asphalt on the freeway, he said.

The freeway would pass homes, schools, parks, churches and "other land uses sensitive to traffic noise," the study team report said. It would be built mostly at grade but if it were built below grade the noise would be reduced "somewhat," Tait said. Noise walls would still be required to meet the state standards, he said.

Nobody denies the below-grade option is quieter and less obtrusive visually," Chad Blostone, Ahwatukee resident and advisory team member said after the meeting. "They need to get back to the table and look at some different design options."

The study team has said it would be more expensive to build the freeway below ground along the majority of the route and would displace more homes.

Ahwatukee resident John Rodriguez, also on the advisory team, said a diagram the study team presented showed most of Pecos Road would be "walled in" to mitigate noise.

“The great wall of Pecos is coming," Rodriguez said after the meeting, adding that the Lakewood Community Association, which he represents, would "be subject to noise."

The advisory team will eventually recommend whether it thinks the freeway should be built.

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Light-rail extension to be redesigned to appease residents
by Betty Reid
The Arizona Republic
July 2, 2008

The Phoenix City Council voted Wednesday to redesign the northwest extension of light rail so that there is less disruption to the Royal Palms neighborhood.

Neighbors had wanted rail alignment moved so properties on the west side of 19th Avenue would have to be bought out rather than those on the east side.

The city originally planned to take out a frontage road, but to accommodate the neighborhood the council will buy more houses on the east side and rebuild a new frontage road and consider adding cul-de-sacs.

It will add another $9 million to the $297 million project. But by acting quickly to make these changes, there aren't expected to be delays in rail construction. Work is scheduled to start in early 2009 and be completed by 2012.

Opposition to the rail plan arose last fall in the last half mile of the 3.2-mile light rail line that extends from just south of Bethany Home Road to Dunlap Ave.

Royal Palm neighbors at the northern end of the extension, which starts just south of Bethany Home Road to Dunlap Ave., complained that their quiet neighborhood would be disturbed too much without a frontage road.

Councilman Claude Mattox, who represents the north-central neighborhood affected, made a motion Wednesday to move the alignment so it impacted the west side of 19th Avenue more, but he got no support from other council members.

Councilman Tom Simplot then made the motion that keeps the existing rail design east of 19th Avenue but lessen the impact on the Royal Palm neighborhood between Butler Drive and Townley Avenue by building a new frontage road and -with neighborhood approval - create cul-de-sacs.

This would require buying an additional six to eight more homes and part of the Montessori Center School. This plan would cost about $9 million more, or a total of $306 million. The council agreed unanimously with Simplot.

"It's a little bit more expensive than we thought," said Councilman Greg Stanton, but added that this alternative balances the interest of light rail and the neighborhood.

The council also considered stopping the rail at Northern Avenue or to keep the existing design.

Bruce Ivor, a Royal Palm neighborhood resident for 30 years, said he had favored keeping the old frontage road intact. He liked the idea of moving the right-of-way to the west side of 19th Avenue but said adding a new frontage road was a "decent second choice" for residents of Townley Avenue.

Ivor is hoping that the city can come up with a street and landscaping design that will enhance the neighborhood and create a pretty section along the light rail line.

The original light rail plan had proposed only a sidewalk that would divide light rail traffic lanes and Royal Palm neighborhood.

About 20 Royal Palm residents attended the meeting as did people who represented the west side of 19th Avenue.

Tee Lambert, Washington Elementary School District governing board member, is relieved. One option under consideration had been to place the right- of- way on the west side, which would taken away part of Royal Palm Middle School in her district as well as apartments and parts of two churches.

"I'm very pleased that the city listened," Lambert said. She said the district had already started a $7 million renovation of its middle school and it would be a waste of taxpayer's money, if the alignment had been placed west of 19th Avenue.

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Transit, state trust land petitions turned in
by HOWARD FISCHER
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
July 3, 2008

Voters will decide in November whether they want to raise their sales taxes for transit projects and keep certain state trust lands forever free of development.

Petitions for both measures were submitted Wednesday to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Backers of the plan to hike sales taxes by a penny, to 6.6 cents on every dollar spent, said they turned in 258,342 signatures. They need just 153,365 of those to be found valid to gain ballot status.

The trust land measure, as a constitutional amendment, requires 230,047 signatures; the petitions for that contained a reported 365,730.

While they pursue separate goals, the measures are linked. That’s because Gov. Janet Napolitano, who helped craft the transit tax measure, agreed not to put some of the financial burden for new roads on homebuilders.

In exchange, the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona not only contributed money to the transit measure but also agreed not to oppose the initiative on trust lands. It was opposition from that group — and their backing of a less comprehensive alternative — that caused a similar measure to get defeated two years ago.

The main provision of the trust lands measure would be to preserve about 570,000 acres of state land.

Current constitutional provisions require that the land, part of 10 million acres given to Arizona when it became a state, be held “in trust,” largely for education.

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