Light rail trains are quiet
· Pay attention near the tracks.
· Watch for flashing train headlights.
· Listen for warning bells and horns.
· The ends of the light rail train are identical- white headlights show a train approaching and red taillights show it moving away.

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Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:Dn:Dn97zHzkHEOFUpbbA7yHdU+++TM:-Tmp-:com.apple.mail.drag-T0x710d30.tmp.aMviWD:Additional Meetings Notice 10-08.pdf

Public invited to give input on new Valley Metro LINK bus service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Susan Tierney
Public Information Officer
602.262.4668
602.292.4093 (mobile)
stierney@valleymetro.org

Phoenix, AZ (October 20, 2008) Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa residents are invited to attend public meetings on Wednesday, November 5 and Thursday, November 6 to offer input on a new Valley Metro LINK route, which is a faster bus service with limited stops, and will connect to METRO Light Rail in Mesa.

The open house will begin at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Residents will be able to board a new LINK bus as well as comment on conceptual designs for new LINK bus stations.

Meeting Locations:

Wednesday, November 5
Dobson High School cafeteria
1501 W. Guadalupe Road, Mesa

Thursday, November 6
Chandler High School cafeteria
350 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler

Beginning in July 2010, the LINK route will begin at the newChandler regional park-and-ride lot adjacent to Tumbleweed Park on Germann Road and Hamilton Street and travel north on Arizona Avenue/Country Club Drive to Main Street and connect to METRO Light Rail at the Sycamore Transit Center in Mesa.

It is anticipated that LINK service will run every 15 to 30 minutes during the same hours as METRO light rail service and will stop only at major intersections, or approximately every mile.

Several enhancements are being planned to make the service faster including low floor buses with one entrance and two exit doors, signal priority which will reduce the amount of time buses are stopped at red lights and enhanced stations with dynamic message signs displaying real time information on arrival of next bus.

The Valley Metro LINK service is being funded by Proposition 400, the half-cent sales tax that was approved by voters in 2004 to provide transit and transportation enhancements in Maricopa County.

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.
# # #

Valley budget shortfall threatens transit projects
by Kerry Fehr-Snyder
Oct. 16, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

The Valley's freeway and mass-transit projects are short $4.5 billion as tax revenues plummet, construction costs soar and government bonding capacity stalls, the transportation director for the region's planning agency told stunned mayors Wednesday.

The gloomy prediction from Eric Anderson of the Maricopa Association of Governments, means that funding for proposed projects such as the South Mountain Freeway and Loop 303 are in jeopardy.

"The only good news is that crude-oil prices are falling below $75 a barrel," Anderson told MAG's transportation policy committee.

The committee is comprised of Valley mayors, city council members and others.

The Valley's fiscal outlook has darkened since August, when Anderson met with Arizona Department of Transportation officials to revise cost and revenue estimates for Valley freeway projects.

"ADOT is in an extremely tight financial situation," Anderson said.

He added later, "Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. That's one of the challenges."

Sales tax revenues from auto dealerships alone fell to $500 million in July from $800 million for the same month a year earlier.

"This is a dramatic decline," he said. "This has implications on future spending, and it will take a long time to work out."

The downturn hit the Valley's economy harder because it has relied so heavily on home building and commercial real estate. Unlike the downturn in the late 1980s during the savings and loan crisis, this crisis stretches far beyond developers and institutional investors.

Arizona collected $96 million less in highway user revenue funds in fiscal 2008 than what was projected last year.

At the same time, highway and street construction costs rose 77 percent over the past four years.

Governments are struggling to cover those costs with bonding authority as markets freeze. Only $4 billion in bonds were issued nationally over the past three weeks compared to $6 billion for an average week before the turmoil, according to MAG's data.

The funding shortfall may prompt planners to scale back the size of the proposed 22-mile South Mountain Freeway to six lanes from 10, Anderson said. The project's cost has grown to $2.4 billion from $1.7 billion in the past two years, eclipsing its budget for the next decade at least.

MAG's transportation-committee members also may decide to convert freeway projects to less expensive parkways, add high-occupancy lane toll roads or delay other projects. But unlike funding shortfalls in the early 1990s, no project will be removed from the regional transportation plan without having to first undergo a major amendment to Proposition 400, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax that funds Valley transportation projects.

Ron Ames, a MAG transportation-committee member and Peoria city councilman, said he hopes that revised population projections will show a declining need for new freeways.

Anderson said that's unlikely because the Valley is already behind on building freeways, especially in the West Valley.

Park-and-ride lots lead to light rail
Oct. 14, 2008 01:37 PM
The Arizona Republic

Metro light-rail service begins Dec. 27 and for many, the entrance to the line will be from eight new park-and-ride lots that have a total of 3,513 spaces.

Wulf Grote, director of project development for Metro light rail, spoke to The Republicabout the parking Metro is providing for light-rail passengers.

Question: What makes Metro confident that the amount of parking it is building will be able to accommodate demand, even during special events when there is unusually high light-rail ridership?

We compare ourselves to peer cities and the parking demand that they have, and quite frankly a lot of those cities have experienced more parking demand from Day 1 than they thought. . . . We use our judgment as best we can to determine the demand, but we also temper that with funding that's available. We think we're meeting our demand based upon looking at our peers, but we are also doing some contingency plans. We're identifying as many as another 1,000 spaces out there that we might have available at select locations in case we didn't hit the mark right on.

We're talking to property owners, we're talking to cities where they have land. We're trying maybe to put some kind of a lease arrangement into place that would be triggered if we need that additional parking. Once we see what actually happens on Day 1 and we start the operation, then we will have a much better understanding.

What type of security is being provided for the new lots?

They all have cameras for security, and they will be monitored on a constant basis. In addition to that, there will be security personnel. When we started the design, we tried to make sure the facilities were designed to be open. You have security in mind as part of the design process.

For more information on light rail, go to metrolightrail.org.

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Mesa's light rail extension options, costs laid out
by Kerry Fehr-Snyder
Oct. 15, 2008 02:16 PM
The Arizona Republic

Transportation planners are inching closer to extending light rail's reach to downtown Mesa, and for the first time, have put a price tag on six alternatives being considered.

The costliest option is a $243 million light-rail system that would run along First Street north of Main Street from Country Club Drive to Hibbert Street. The least expensive choice would be a $55 million four-lane system with curb-side lanes for bus rapid transit along Main over the same 3.5-mile segment.

In the middle are bus rapid transit systems with dedicated center guideways off limits to motorists and light-rail systems that would make riding mass transit more seamless.

The scenarios, presented Tuesday at the East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, include two bus rapid transit systems and four light rail extensions. They varied in alignment, cost and access to major attractions such as the Mesa Arts Center and the LDS temple.

Planners are about halfway through a two-year study to determine the best and most cost-effective alternative to extending the reach of the initial 20-mile light-rail system, which begins service in late December. The bulk of the starter line runs through Phoenix and Tempe with the last mile ending at Sycamore Street in Mesa.

Voters approved extending mass transit to downtown Mesa either by laying more light-rail tracks or by extending bus-rapid transit. Planners are weighing the pros and cons of an extension running along Main Street in the heart of downtown Mesa, which long has been looking for a way to boost pedestrian traffic and create a vibrancy like that of Tempe's Mill Avenue.

But some business owners Tuesday were leery of construction headaches that could hurt their businesses in the short run, even with the promise of creating a boom in the long run.

Others worried about the aesthetics and maintaining the character of downtown Mesa.

"I'm from Europe and it's really important to the uniqueness of downtown that we design it so the south side or the north side (of Main) are still vibrant," said Laurent Teichman, who was born in France, lives in Mesa and owns Le Studio Salon in downtown.

The 3.5-mile extension would cut either through the heart of downtown's Main Street, giving riders more direct access to shops, restaurants, City Hall and the main U.S. Post Office at Center Street. Or it would jog north from Main to First Street to be closer to the Mesa Convention Center or south to First Avenue and the Mesa Arts Center.

The alternatives, daily boardings by 2030 and estimated cost are:
• Two-lane bus rapid transit on Main Street, 2,500 and $62 million.
• Four-lane bus rapid transit on Main Street, 2,700 and $55 million.
• Two-lane light rail transit on Main Street, 4,300 and $223 million.
• Four-lane light rail transit on Main Street, 4,300 and $229 million.
• Light rail transit on First Street, 4,100 and $243 million.
• Light rail transit on First Avenue, 4,100 and $234 million.

In all scenarios, riders could continue traveling east by taking a bus rapid transit route to Superstition Springs Center that will start operating in late December after light-rail's launch.

Construction would begin in 2012 and finish in 2015.

But before that, several groups will weigh in on the project. The Mesa City Council is expected to make its recommendation on a preferred route in the first three months of next year.

The board of Metro Light Rail and the Maricopa Association of Governments also will vote on a preferred alignment.

With 20 miles of construction under its belt, Metro Light Rail will pay "a lot of attention to how it (construction) will impact businesses" in downtown Mesa, said Marc Sorenson, project director.

The alternatives try to preserve on-street parking, although some of it would be eliminated to make room for stations, and avoid impacting historic properties, he said.

Also key: maintaining a quarter-mile walking distance from stations or stops to activity centers the mass transit system is designed to serve.

Both First Street and First Avenue have the disadvantage of tighter turning areas for light-rail trains, which would have to slow to 5 mph. That's far slower than the average speed of 22 mph along the initial 20-mile starter line.

A First Avenue alignment would "miss the activity centers to the north like the Marriott (hotel) and the convention center," Sorenson said.

The downside to a First Street alignment is the city would have to exercise "eminent domain" to bulldoze a fast-food restaurant and bank in its way.

For bicyclists, choosing Main Street means the removal of bike lanes and some on-street parking.

Wulf Grote, Metro light rail project development director, rejected the idea of extending the system only as far east as Alma School Road because funding for the project could dry up.

"We have funding to take this through the 3.5-mile portion but we may not have it in the future," he said. "We think it's a real possibility to get the downtown center connected, to get the arts center connected and also to add parking."

Grote also said that comparing costs of light-rail to bus rapid transit systems should take into account long-term maintenance and operating costs, including paying bus drivers to shuttle fewer passengers than light-rail operators can transport.

"The life cycle cost for bus rapid transit may be higher," he said.

Metro light rail is being funded by a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2004 with Proposition 400. One of the system's goals is connecting downtowns to other parts of the Valley with mass-transit systems to alleviate car traffic and air pollution.

But several business owners who attended Tuesday night's presentation said they worry about construction dooming businesses that already are struggling to survive.

"Over time, property values have increased and we've seen that in Plano, Texas, since that alignment opened," Sorenson said.

Mike James, Mesa's deputy transportation director, said one of the bus rapid transit alternatives is unique for the Valley in that it would give buses a dedicated center guide way that would be separated from cars.

Bus rapid transit routes also travel at an average speed of just 12 mph, slower than light rail trains, which travel the same posted speed limits as cars, trucks and motorcycles.

Transportation planners are finishing the project's conceptual engineering this fall and will pick a "locally preferred alternative" by April.

Light-rail riders will get 5 fare-free days
By MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE
October 16, 2008

Commuters and the curious will have five days, rather than just two, to ride the Valley’s new light-rail line for free.

The board of directors for Metro, the agency responsible for the 20-mile line, voted unanimously Wednesday to push back the beginning of revenue operations from Dec. 29 until New Year’s Day.

Metro’s original plan was to begin charging passengers after a weekend of celebrations.

But the directors said it was important for free ridership to take place when commuters would use the trains most.

“I don’t think you need a whole week, but you need a couple of workdays in there,” Mesa Vice Mayor Kyle Jones said.

Also, with Tempe hosting college football’s Insight Bowl and the annual Block Party on Dec. 31, directors also mentioned the opportunity to draw more passengers if they knew of a nocharge alternative for getting to and from the events.

The game and New Year’s Eve festivities draw about 200,000 people, and Metro estimates 10 to 12 percent of the attendees will take trains to Tempe.

Finally, as Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman noted, the five free days allow people to ride “and not be made to feel stupid” because they are still learning how to purchase fares.

Metro officials said “ambassadors” will be posted at stations, available to teach prospective passengers exactly that.

Three days of no revenue will cost Metro between $50,000 and $200,000, staffers told the board

But Hallman warned against overstating that loss. He said many of the people who will ride for free would never have boarded in the first place, had they been required to pay.
During the meeting, more details emerged about light rail’s debut.

The festivities begin at the Tempe Transportation Center on the morning of Friday, Dec. 26. There will be preview rides for the media, civic leaders, local celebrities and the event sponsor.

Also invited will be members of the public lucky enough to get a ticket. The ticket will feature artwork from local comic book artist/toy designer Todd McFarlane.

Following a VIP banquet on Friday night, the next morning will be the ceremonial ribboncutting at Metro’s Operations and Maintenance Center in east Phoenix.

The first trains depart the center at 10 a.m., and an hour later there will be more festivities in the three cities connected by the tracks: Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe.

After that, the trains are open to anyone who wants aboard.

Up to 200,000 people are expected to take advantage of the free weekend, leading to Metro’s fears of “organized chaos.” Spreading that number over more days was another reason given to delay the onset of revenue service.

Over the weekend, parties will be held at many of the 28 stations.

Also discussed at the meeting was the potential need for more parking spaces for park-and-ride passengers. Currently, about 3,500 spots are available among eight locations, the board was told

If insufficient, Metro is looking at 800 to 1,000 more spaces in four other lots, including two in Tempe near Apache Boulevard and Loop 101 and one in Mesa near the Sycamore station near Main Street and Dobson Road.

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Tempe's light rail bridge named among nation's best
by Britt Johnson
Oct. 17, 2008 06:17 AM
The Arizona Republic

A Tempe bridge ranks among the nation's finest, according to the latest Top 10 Bridges List announced Wednesday.

Roads and Bridges Magazine named the Tempe Town Lake Light Rail Bridge the tenth best bridge built in 2008.

MB Finnerty, METRO light rail's Public Art Administrator, said the bridge is an exciting addition the region and to the METRO system.

"The Tempe Town Lake Bridge is a great example of innovative teamwork," Finnerty said. "We overcame some rather challenging design constraints to make an incredibly beautiful, as well as functional, bridge."

The Light Rail Bridge was selected from a group of 70 other nominees for its superior design and construction. In order to be considered for the award, the projects had to have been in the construction or design phases within the past18 months.

The bridge, which is 1,530 feet long, spans Tempe Town Lake. LED lights installed along the sides of the bridge will provide a colorful show as the light rail passes, approximately every ten minutes.

The top 10 bridges will be featured in the upcoming November issue of Roads and Bridges Magazine.

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Light rail may revive Washington Street corridor
by Chad Graham
Oct. 20, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

When it comes to Washington Street, think of Metro light rail as a ribbon that could tie together economic opportunities.

The roughly 8-mile stretch from downtown Phoenix to Tempe was neglected for decades, but it could become a dynamic corridor that better links Arizona State University's campuses, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and GateWay Community College, as well as biotech and green-energy companies.

It would put tourists in easier reach of the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon calls it the "opportunity corridor," and in 2005, he began calling for a revitalization of the area between the Salt River and Van Buren Street and from the Capitol complex east to the Tempe city line.

Progress has been slow, and the meltdown of the financial markets has dried up capital for some promised private-sector improvements. Existing businesses have suffered, too, with light-rail construction shutting down some mom-and-pop shops and crippling others.

But Gordon maintains the problems are not permanent.

Light rail will bring in new customers to shops; blighted areas are already disappearing; home prices in the area have increased, even against the slumping market.

"There are two corridors that have benefited the most from the light rail: the west Camelback area and the Washington-Jefferson corridor," he said.

The $1.4 billion train system is set to open Dec. 27. It will run 20 miles - from northwest Phoenix through downtown Phoenix and Tempe to west Mesa.

Years of change

When Phoenix was incorporated in 1881, Washington Street was the town's principal east-west thoroughfare. In 1887, it became the first route on the horse-drawn streetcar system.

In later decades, Van Buren Street, only a few blocks away, stole the glory as U.S. 60. Washington Street became known more for junkyards, car-repair shops, fast-food chains and vacant land.

In the racially segregated first half of the 20th century, Washington Street became a major thoroughfare for Black and Hispanic culture through schools, churches and commerce.

The three largest Black churches in the city are in the area, and "on any given Sunday, you're going to have somewhere close to 5,000 to 8,000 African-Americans going up and down that street," said Ron Busby, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix BlackChamber of Commerce.

Washington Street has been a center for Black-owned business, and Busby believes light rail will have a mixed impact.

He said it could attract new companies and improve the tax base, but "unfortunately, some of those businesses that are going to leave are going to be the very traditional, second- and third-generation African-American-owned businesses," he said.

The owners of Jokake Construction have helped preserve Washington Street's fading history. In 2003, they bought 7 acres of land near 50th and Washington streets, including the historic Stockyards Restaurant and 1889 Saloon. They restored the eatery and reopened it in 2005.

The Stockyards, which originally opened in 1947, survived light-rail construction. Owner Gary Lasko now hopes for a spike in business. Although it is not near a station, riders will pass back and forth, giving the restaurant exposure.

Lasko agrees that parts of Washington Street were blighted for many years.

"But now it's beautiful," he said. "People don't even recognize it when they come down."

With light-rail construction finished, drivers have access to wider streets that feature new curbs, sidewalks and landscaping.

The street once again provides a main route to the airport and allows easy access to freeways.

Phoenix City Council member Michael Johnson, whose district includes part of the Washington Street corridor, believes that light rail will improve the downtown area, "and then you're going to have a step-down effect from Seventh Street" and beyond.

'A key link'

Plenty of vacant land remains.

"The light rail is a key link to all of that," said Don Keuth, president of the Phoenix Community Alliance, a group that advocates the revitalization of central Phoenix. "It is the ribbon that runs through it."

Eric Johnson, redevelopment-program manager for Phoenix, is equally upbeat.

"Parts of that corridor . . . have seen quite a bit of investment already," he said, "and we expect that to continue."

Milwaukee-based Irgens Development Partners LLC decided to place its faith in the promise of Washington Street two years ago: The company built an office near 50th Street.

Company officials are now trying to attract tenants to the building. There has been interest from service companies, engineering companies and others.

"I think (light rail) is going to be a huge impact," said Irgens Senior Vice President Michael O'Connor. "Every city needs rail, and I think it's going to be very well-received."

Light rail will also figure prominently into the future of GateWay Community College, said Susie Pulido, director of institutional advancement and entrepreneurial development at the school.

The campus at Washington and 40th streets is undergoing a master-planning process, and "we're looking to create public and private partnerships that will service the surrounding area and have workforce development that will benefit the college," she said.

That could include a heath clinic that allows students who are entering the medical field to get real-world experience.

The rail's initial impact will be felt by Valley residents who work and go to school along Washington Street.

Elizabeth Gomez, a single mother raising a 5-year-old son, is a student in GateWay's health-unit coordinating program. She hopes to eventually transfer to ASU.

Both campuses will be an easy commute on the light rail from her starting point near Central Avenue and Camelback Road.

"It's too much for gas," she said. "I'm just barely making it right now."

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Light-rail stations reflect neighborhoods
by Ron Sanzone
Oct. 21, 2008 11:45 AM
The Arizona Republic

Each of Metro light rail's 28 starter line stations has a unique design, with special efforts taken to reflect the neighborhoods where stations are located.

Mike James, who spent seven years working for Metro as a station planner and architect, spoke to The Republic about the stations, which will be in full operation Dec. 27 when light rail begins running between north-central Phoenix and Mesa.

Question: How do the stations reflect the neighborhoods they're in?

Answer: Before we started the station design process, we had a designers meeting in each neighborhood. People were asked how the stations could reflect the neighborhoods. We didn't want to distract from the architectural character of the existing buildings. We wanted to fit in the context of the area. The scale is one way. . . . A lot of the art reflects back to surrounding types of activities going on there. Color is another way. It reflects adjacent buildings.

Q: If you had had an unlimited budget, is there anything you would have done differently with the station design?

A: In the past, someone said let's put these stations indoors and air-condition them. It would have been nice to have a water feature like a cool wall, but there were budget issues with that. As we looked at it, the maintenance costs were quite high. . . . While some water features would have helped a little bit, the maintenance and the costs would have been really tough.

A few stations' unique features

• Encanto Central station (Central Avenue and Encanto Boulevard). The station art reflects the nearby Heard Museum with pre-Columbian, Indian and modern motifs used. One section of the art has towers, which reflect high-rises on both sides of the station.

• Downtown Tempe/Town Lake station (Mill Avenue/Third Street). The station is adjacent to what used to be a large park area. In the future, that site will be developed, so the design team wanted to retain the concept of a green space, an oasis within the downtown Tempe area. The south side of station incorporates windows allowing a rider to stand on the platform and look out from the station. Green trellises are also on the outside of the station platform, not just in the middle as is the case with all the other stations. There is an etched glass piece depicting canopies of the trees in the nearby green space. It will be a permanent reminder of what was there in case the trees are someday cut down.

• GateWay Community College station (38th Street/Washington). One of the themes of the station, not far from Sky Harbor Airport, is the evolution of airplanes. There are art pieces that look like 12 airplane wings. The wings have cutouts in them that direct the sunlight going through them to specific spots on the ground. This enables the creation of a sundial calendar.

• Downtown Phoenix station (northbound platform on Washington/Central Avenue). There is more urban hardscape than at other stations, which works well with an adjacent plaza. The station has historical artwork of downtown Phoenix.

• Third Street and Jefferson station. Not only is artwork integrated into design, so are things like lights. At this station, the sleek modern lights herald the many cultural events nearby.

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Light rail to carry New Year’s Eve revelers
System set to run until 3 a.m. that night; later regular hours proposed
By MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE
October 23, 2008

Light-rail officials are doing their part to get New Year’s Eve revelers off the roads and into the trains.

Metro, the Valley’s new transit system, will be operating until about 3 a.m., Chief Executive Officer Rick Simonetta said Wednesday.

Under normal circumstances, the trains will stop running at midnight. However, Metro views the night of Dec. 31 as an opportune moment to increase the system’s exposure to potential riders.

Downtown Tempe hosts college football’s Insight Bowl and popular Block Party on New Year’s Eve, and Metro estimates that as many as 20,000 people may take light rail to the events. As for getting those partygoers home, Simonetta said the plan is to “run it until it’s no longer necessary” that night.

As further enticement, Metro won’t be charging fares until Jan. 1, six days after the system’s official opening.

Simonetta made his remarks at a luncheon sponsored by the civic organization Valley Forward.

If demand is high on New Year’s Eve, this could boost efforts to extend Metro’s service on weekend nights.

Metro is considering a proposal to have the last trains run as late as 1:20 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Currently, the planned operating hours are between 4:45 a.m. and midnight.

But officials said the later hours would come at an annual cost of $350,000.

“The challenge we have is the funding,” said the chairman of Metro’s board, Phoenix City Councilman Tom Simplot. “We find private sources of funding, and we’re done.”

Public sources of funding are tapped out, Simonetta said, meaning some frills were cut. He acknowledged the train cars do not have the capability for wireless communications.

Also, only one of the system’s eight park-and-ride lots has shade structures to protect vehicles from Arizona’s baking sun.

“We didn’t try to add everything that was possible into the original plan,” Simonetta said. “But I do think, over time, we’re going to find ways to enhance it.

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FRIENDS OF TRANSIT, inc.
a 501 (c)(3)
P.O. Box 36916
Phoenix, AZ 85067-6916
(602) 818-1024
info@friendsoftransit.org

Light rail trains are quiet · Pay attention near the tracks. · Watch for flashing train headlights. · Listen for warning bells and horns. · The ends of the light rail train are identical- white headlights show a train approaching and red taillights show it moving away.

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Light rail trains are quiet
· Pay attention near the tracks.
· Watch for flashing train headlights.
· Listen for warning bells and horns.
· The ends of the light rail train are identical- white headlights show a train approaching and red taillights show it moving away.