December 29, 2008

Friends,

It has been a most exciting week with the opening of the Valley's Light Rail System. It has been simply breathtaking and awe inspiring to say the least.

Yet, while the light rail debut has been spectacular, it is CRITICAL that we never lose sight of the importance of the bus system. Without a good bus system in place, rail doesn't work. The buses are truly the backbone of any good transit system. Below is an important and welcomed bit of good news about Governor Napolitano releasing state funds for transit projects across the state. (Click here to read more).

A special thanks to Governor Napolitano for releasing these funds to be used for the intended purpose. Visit www.friendsoftransit.org to see the distribution of funds throughout the state.

Tips for Riding Light Rail

Now that Light rail is officially running, here are a few tips for how to use the system:

� Buy a transit pass at any light rail station, transit center or on a bus.
� Light rail and buses use the same fare system. A one-ride pass (good for one boarding on either system) is $1.25. An all-day pass (good for unlimited boardings on either system) is $2.50. Other passes are also available.
� Activate your pass before boarding using a fare vending machine at any light rail station or a bus fare box.
� Signs on the front and side of the light rail train display the train’s final destination and will help you determine which train to board.
� Signs and announcements at the station will tell you when the next train arrives.
� Trains stop at every station automatically.
� Upcoming stops will be announced on the train.
� Press yellow button to open train doors when button lights are green.
� Weekdays: Trains run from 4:40am (at end of the line stations) until midnight (last full trip begins at 11pm). Trains arrive every 10 minutes from 6 am to 7pm; all other hours every 20 minutes.
� Weekends and holidays: Trains run from 5am (at end of the line stations) until midnight (last full trip begins at 11pm). Trains arrive every 15 minutes from 6am to 7 pm; all other hours, every 20 minutes.

Visit www.MetroLightRail.org for full details on riding the system.

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Arizona cities to receive transit funds for vital services
Governor Napolitano releases funds to help keep transit operating
PHOENIX (Dec. 29, 2008)
Valley Metro Press Release

Revenues from the Local Transportation Assistance Fund II (LTAFII), which are generated from the Arizona state lottery, have been released by Governor Janet Napolitano from the 2009 fiscal year state budget. Realizing how transit is crucial for finding work, getting to jobs, doctor appointments, school and shopping, the Governor has approved that the state-provided funds be available to 95 cities and towns throughout Arizona.

“With a significant decrease in vehicle miles traveled in the state and across the country, it is important to continue to provide alternatives for travel,” said David A. Boggs, executive director of Valley Metro. In October, Arizona reported a 6 percent decrease in vehicle miles traveled, while the U.S. reported a 3.5 percent decrease over the same period one year ago.

In Maricopa County, more than $ 7 million dollars will be provided to 24 cities and towns and the county, which will provide much relief in the continued transit operations of services that serve as a lifeline for many seniors, disabled and low-income residents. See attachments for a complete list of LTAFII distributions and projects in the state.

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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Bus schedules in Glendale change Monday
Dec. 29, 2008 08:13 AM
The Arizona Republic

Bus riders are reminded that service reductions in Phoenix may affect transit passengers from Glendale beginning Monday.

Changes along bus routes include:

• Elimination of bus trips before 5 a.m. and after 10 p.m. except for Route 70, Glendale to Luke Air Force Base, which will continue its normal service.

• Half-hour service will change to hourly on Route 43, 43rd Avenue; Route 59, 59th Avenue; Route 60, Bethany Home Road; Route 67, 67th Avenue; Route 80, Northern Avenue; Route 90, Dunlap/Cave Creek Road; Route 138, Thunderbird Road; and Route 186, Union Hills Road.

The changes go into effect Monday.

Some riders may also experience weekday and additional weekend changes. Customers are advised to check out a transit book that outlines the bus schedules and changes.

Details: www.valleymetro.org or 602-253-5000.

Light-rail stations have riders covered
Designs aim to offer shade during waits in hot weather
by Ron Sanzone
Dec. 26, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Metro light rail incorporates three elements into a shading system it hopes will keep light-rail passengers comfortable at its stations as they await trains in warm weather.

Mike James, an architect who was involved in Metro's station planning, says that the three-layered shading system was the best of five designs presented by teams of architects to Metro. Here's how each system works.

Canopies

A series of angled overhead canopies made of tensile material will shade the waiting areas of station platforms throughout much of the day.

Unlike most other materials, the temperature of the tensile fabric will not heat up beyond the surrounding air temperature, a key to keeping the areas underneath it cooler.

Aesthetically designed to resemble birds in flight, the canopies are "a signature look that is unique to Phoenix," James said.

Shades

These shades or louvers fill in the coverage gaps left by the canopies during early-morning and late-afternoon hours. The shades have the appearance of open sets of blinds.

Metro decided against a solid opaque design because local businesses wanted to be fully visible from stations and neighbors wanted to be able to keep an eye on station platforms for security reasons.

Green screens

Located at most stations, these trellises are metal cages covered with vines. They provide shade and a small amount of moisture produced by the plants.

Other relief

When possible, stations will have drinking fountains, trees and paint that does not heat up to cover metal areas that may be touched.

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Trains packed in light-rail dress rehearsal
by Glen Creno
Dec. 26, 2008 01:43 PM
The Arizona Republic

A dress rehearsal for the new Metro light-rail system went smoothly Friday as trains packed with VIPs and special guests rolled out of Tempe for Phoenix and Mesa.

A couple hundred people trooped into the chilly plaza of the Tempe Transportation Center before dawn to be among the first to ride the $1.4 billion system. Metro has been making test runs with the trains and the Friday event for invited guests was a warm-up for Saturday, when the public is welcomed on board.

Tempe didn't spare the security. There were several police officers watching the crowd and a bomb-sniffing police dog checked the trash cans and nosed under the stage before officials gave their speeches.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon begged off. His spokesman said Gordon has a chest cold but should be back in action Friday night for a dinner with more dignitaries at a downtown Phoenix hotel.

Rick Simonetta, Metro's chief executive, said Metro would change the way commuters move around the city. He made an appeal for safety, urging drivers and pedestrians to pay attention to the new street signals along the line's route.

Simonetta was decked out in a knee-length topcoat and fedora to ward off the 40-degree temperatures, and Mesa Mayor Scott Smith couldn't resist a mild shot, joking later that he was pleased to be introduced by "Inspector Simonetta."

Smith called the launch of rail a "watershed event" for the Valley and a major shift in the way people here think about transportation.

"I always wanted a train for Christmas," he said. "I didn't think it would be this big."

Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said the rail system not only would help reduce congestion and bad air but also contribute to "cultural sustainability," helping cities preserve resources.

"We have to thank the taxpayers who sponsored this investment," he said.

Metro runs from the Christown Spectrum Mall area in Phoenix through downtown Tempe into west Mesa.

The system opens to the public Saturday with free rides and numerous parties along the line. An estimated 200,000 people are expected to try out the train system Saturday and Sunday.

Passengers broke into applause when the train eased to a stop back in Tempe after its round trip to Phoenix. Eight-year-old Ali Kern of Phoenix was on board with her father, Bruce, and used the family's new video camera to record the trip.

Asked her opinion of the new train, she thought a moment and proclaimed, "It's good."

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Light-rail system opening marks new milestone for the Valley
by Glen Creno and Casey Newton
Dec. 27, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

It has been 60 years since trolleys ran on the streets of Phoenix. Beginning today, rail transit returns to the Valley.

Metro light rail, a $1.4 billion system that runs from central Phoenix to west Mesa, opens to the public this morning with a series of events that could draw an estimated 100,000. Metro expects a similar turnout Sunday, even without the parties. The opening of the 20-mile system is a milestone in Valley transportation. It ranks with - some say outranks - such things as completing the final piece of Interstate 10 through the tunnel in downtown Phoenix or the opening of Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

"I think it's bigger than both of those," said Curtis Lueck, a Tucson transportation consultant. "The reason I say that is the light-rail system provides an opportunity for changing community form and lifestyle."

Lueck said those other landmarks expanded the city's existing styles of transportation. He said light rail brings something new.

After earlier attempts to bring light rail to Phoenix were defeated, Phoenix and Tempe passed transportation taxes to help pay for the system. Mesa also chipped in with promised allocations. Part of the regional Proposition 400 sales tax and federal grants pay the rest of the tab.

Planners have been working on light rail in one form or another for more than 15 years, including about four years of construction. That culminated Friday with the kickoff of Metro's grand-opening weekend.

There was a preview ride for contest winners, elected officials and other VIPs in Tempe on Friday morning. The day ended with an appreciation dinner in Phoenix featuring a keynote speech from outgoing Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, an Arizona native.

Russ Dudenhofer was riding one of the trains Friday morning. He estimated that two years of construction on the line near his Phoenix insurance company cost him $250,000 in lost business. He backs Metro because it's a big investment for the area.

"I'm just glad it's running, that it's done," he said.

Arizona State University engineering Professor Ram Pendyala, a transportation-system specialist, said Metro will get some cars off the roads and play a big part in how land is developed along the line. One of Metro's objectives is to discourage sprawling development by luring people to high-density housing close to the rail line.

Many big-city transportation systems are multimodal, meaning commuters can use several methods of transit to get around town. Pendyala said light rail is a big step toward that kind of system for the Valley.

"This is not some 'boutique-y' transportation thing that is sort of a nice thing to have in the neighborhood," he said. "This is a major piece, a component of the transportation system. This is a very integral piece of the puzzle. Without it, the puzzle is not complete."

The public will get the chance to ride beginning at 10 a.m. today, when the first trains leave stations at 19th Avenue and Montebello in Phoenix and Sycamore and Main Street in Mesa. Along the way, riders will find a dozen parties with a variety of themes and entertainment.

Regular service begins Monday at 4:40 a.m., with free rides through Wednesday. After that, it's $1.25 a ride, or $2.50 for an all-day pass.

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Loading bike on train requires feat of strength
by Kerry Fehr-Snyder
Dec. 27, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Bicyclists will have to learn a new trick when riding the new Metro light-rail system starting Saturday.

And they might want to start lifting weights now.

Unlike Valley buses, light-rail trains contain hooks on the ceiling inside the cars. Bikers must hang their bikes vertically inside a car rather than load their bikes on the front exterior the way they do on a bus.

Each train has room to stow four bicycles. And each hook hangs above a guide rail that bicyclists can use to push their bikes up the side wall of the train's car. Cyclists who cannot foist their bikes vertically on the hooks are allowed to stand on a train with them if there is enough room.

"Every time we talk about it, it excites the bicycling community," said Hillary Foose, spokeswoman for Metro light rail.

Metro light-rail employees have been distributing brochures explaining the process and bike etiquette on trains to bike shops and other organizations.

Rich Rumer, chairman of the Arizona Coalition of Bicyclists, said most cyclists he has talked to like the idea of bringing their bikes on the train.

"The bike community as a whole is excited about it because it's an intermodal thing, and that should be the goal," he said.

In addition to bringing bikes onboard, cyclists can lock their bikes at racks at any of the eight park-and-ride lots along the line.

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Getting There: Light-rail stories left on tracks
December 27, 2008 - 8:33PM
MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE

There was so much to the opening of the light rail, writing my articles in the past days was less figuring out a story than sadly deciding what I had to sacrifice in the name of space.

With that in mind, here are a few points I want to pass along:

1. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith is a funny, funny guy. His quick-wittedness about the frost was in today's story, but that was only one of the many times during the festivities he drew laughs.

Smith's other great line came during Friday night's banquet, when he praised his City Council predecessors in the face of the electorate's, um, libertarian leanings: "Most of you don't realize the profile of courage it is to suggest light rail in Mesa, where it is slightly more acceptable than a property tax."

2. An Arizona State University economist's thoughts on light rail didn't make it into Friday's story, but they were too interesting to let vanish.

According to Tim James, something to watch is private enterprise sprouting up near the train stations. He saw no reason why there couldn't be retail kiosks nearby, where commuters could buy newspapers or breath mints, just like at airports. Another suggestion from James: An auto mechanic or car detailer could set up at a park-and-ride lot. You'd think more than a few motorists would like an oil change while they are at work.

3. James had a message for all of the less-government-spending-is-the-best-government-spending naysayers, who may or may not live in Mesa: If the federal Interstate Highway System never was built, the U.S. economy would be about a tenth of its current size. James is a big believer in the "virtuous circle" of infrastructure, in which quality roads, bridges and train tracks improve the economy, which leads to better roads, bridges and train tracks, which improves the economy, which leads to ...

4. All of the experts I spoke with agreed residential development near the stations will work only if the people living there have no need to get into their cars when home. After all, what's been accomplished if a commuter can take the train to work but still must drive for a gallon of milk?

5. Finally, the most common word the people I interviewed used to describe their rides on the trains: "Smooth."

Light rail glides on Valley tracks into history
December 27, 2008 - 7:16PM
MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE

Moments after the ceremonial opening of the Tempe Transportation Center on Saturday, which was 90 minutes after a similar ribbon cutting in Phoenix celebrating the start of the Valley's light-rail service, the first train pulled out of the station headed west.

Not aboard were Jean Polowski and Pat Reilly. The Scottsdale residents stood at the platform's far end and so were the prospective passengers closest to the just-departed cars.

Congratulations, Jean and Pat - you might be the first riders of Metro to miss their train.

Saturday was a day of firsts in the Valley, as the most ambitious public-transit system in the state officially opened for business. Across the 20 miles of the Mesa-to-Phoenix line, built at a cost of $1.3 billion, there were festivities in honor of a new way of commuting, if not life.

"This is not a Disneyland ride," U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell said during the Tempe ceremony. "This is the first phase of a light-rail rail system that will help us reach a shared vision of a livable, sustainable and economically vibrant urban corridor."

Later, as Arizona State University student Hannah Rosen crossed the tracks near Sun Devil Stadium, she cautioned her friends against being an unfortunate pioneer: "Look both ways; you don't want to be the first person to get run over."

By the early afternoon, at the Sycamore/Main Street station in west Mesa, the line for free rides was hundreds deep. And the trains on the move appeared so loaded, it was as if subway cars from New York or Tokyo had suddenly appeared in the desert.

Metro spared Polowski and Reilly a long wait in the cold morning air, as a train from Mesa arrived in Tempe a few minutes later.

Before they boarded, disembarking was Pat Sarna, who might be the first person riding Metro to run an errand. The Tempe woman's granddaughter was one of the volunteers working the street party in front of the transit center, and the girl's booth was in the shade - where it was frigid, to say the least.

Sarna and daughter Jean, visiting from Texas, drove to the park-and-ride lot at the Price-101 Freeway/Apache Boulevard station, got on a train and within a few minutes were coming to the girl's rescue.

"We're bringing a warm coat," Sarna said.

Exclaimed Jean: "It's freezing!"

Indeed, it was on Saturday morning, helping to explain why crowds seemed slow in coming out for the fun. According to the National Weather Service, the Valley's official low temperature of 34 degrees was the coldest of 2008.

The 8 a.m. ceremony kicking off Metro's service took place at the transit agency's Operations and Maintenance Center, located less than 2 miles from the weather service's thermometer at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. There, the overnight freeze added an odd element to the speeches, as frost covered the speakers' platform and, as noted by Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, turned a podium made of clear plastic into what looked like an ice sculpture.

But the weather gave Mesa Mayor Scott Smith a setup for the best line of the day: "In the early days, one of the most ardent opponents (of light rail) said, 'In Mesa, light rail will appear when Hell freezes over.'"

Another first on Saturday was the debut of Valley Metro Link, a high-capacity bus line that will connect Mesa's one and only train station to the transit center at Superstition Springs Center.

Mesa resident and new Link driver Mustafa Badou said he was only on the job with Valley Metro for a year and half before being selected to drive the light-rail companion buses.

"It's exciting," Badou said as he greeted visitors boarding his bus for a free ride from Sycamore to the shopping mall. "It's just a good thing."

Badou smiled as he pulled the silver, green and purple urban limo off into the traffic of other buses ferrying people eastward.

Also opening to the public was the Tempe Transportation Center, a 6.6-acre hub of trains and buses. The city is most proud of the site's three-story, 40,000-square-foot office building, which is a marvel of design aimed at environmental consciousness and energy efficiency.

With such touches as vegetation on the roof and a windowless western wall so as not to allow entry for the blistering afternoon sunlight, deputy public works manager Carlos de Leon said, Tempe expects its energy use to be half as much as a typical building of the same size.

Free rides continue through New Year's Eve.

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Metro now ready to take on serious commuters
December 28, 2008 - 6:15PM
NICK R. MARTIN, MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE

The opening weekend of light rail in the Valley was mostly given over to spectators - the politicians, journalists and locals who were just plain curious.

But today, the first working day for many since the Metro went public, the rail line is expected to be handed over to the serious riders, the ones who will board it to reach their crosstown jobs and destinations.

For people like John Tynan, a Tempe Web developer, it means he and his wife can finally ditch one of their cars.

In fact, the couple's transportation options were recently crippled when one of their two cars made a catastrophic trip to a repair shop. Instead of buying a new car, they tried to figure out how they could manage life in the Valley with just one vehicle.

The opening of light rail, Tynan said, provided a solid push toward alternative transportation. "It got us thinking that we could really become a one-car family."

For them, it was an easy choice. One of the Metro stations is less than a mile from their house. Another in downtown Phoenix is just two blocks away from where Tynan will be starting a new job in mid-January.

"It's pretty much door to door," he said.

Metro officials are trying to assure commuters that they can also make light rail a part of their lives, even if they live much farther away from the single, 20-mile line.

On Sunday, Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose stood on the platform of one of the stations, answering rider questions and frequently pointing them to the "Trip Planner" onwww.valleymetro.org.

The feature lets riders type in their starting address and destination, and in return, it gives them detailed directions on how to use buses and/or their own feet to meet up with the rail line.

While it's too early to tell how many riders will use light rail to get to work, Foose said Metro officials expect some 26,000 of all stripes will use it daily.

Because of the holidays, Foose said officials don't expect the system to be too crowded with commuters just yet. "We're ramping up for those first few weeks of January when people start to get back to work," she said. "It will kind of be interesting to see how we evolve."

For Phoenix photographer Tyson Crosbie, the commute will begin almost immediately.

Crosbie is shooting an artistic project in downtown Tempe, which he estimates will take him another two months or so to complete.

Previously, Crosbie would have had to find parking in Tempe, pay for it, and worry about his car while he was away. Now, he plans to leave his car at home as he heads to the East Valley.

"Parking's a huge thing," Crosbie said. "I have enough to worry about."

Financially, Crosbie estimates his costs will not differ much overall. Particularly with gas prices dropping, Metro fares will be about even with his monthly fuel costs, he said.

Still others see cost as one of the biggest advantages light rail has over their old automobiles.

J.J. Halchishick, his wife and infant son were among the first members of the public to ride the Metro, thanks to Friday morning's preview. But the Gilbert man anticipated many train trips to follow.

Halchishick works at a Phoenix paint store along the rail line on Camelback Road, and he now expects to commute. In recent months, when the price of gas was at his highest, Halchishick calculated the potential monthly savings of taking the Metro to be hundreds of dollars.

"I'm filling up my tank two, three times a week," Halchishick said.

Businesses along the Metro route, many of which were pinched by its construction, are also hoping for a boost by commuters and plan to try to entice some of the first riders early this morning with treats.

At the Dorsey/Apache Boulevard Station in Tempe, for instance, nearby Cafe Istanbul has announced plans to hand out pastries and coffee to riders this morning. Watson Flowers, also nearby, plans to hand out free carnations to 100 morning commuters.

Metro rides will continue to be free through New Year's Eve.

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Light-rail opening: What went right
by Casey Newton
Dec. 28, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Metro officials were pleased with the way things went on the first day of passenger service. With an estimated 90,000 people climbing aboard the trains, the day went off without major glitches. Here are a few things that went particularly well.

Shuttle buses

The only thing worse than waiting 2 1/2 hours for a train would be waiting 2 1/2 hours for the return trip. Metro's shuttle buses, both the local and express versions, took the hassle out of the trip back home.

Safety campaign

No doubt there will be accidents. But after four months of regular testing and a full day of passenger service, no one has been injured and just one accident has been reported. Drivers, pedestrians and train operators should all take a bow.

Rider enthusiasm

In other cities, they listen to iPods or feign sleep to avoid talking to fellow passengers. On Day 1 , Metro riders chatted enthusiastically for their entire trips, striking up conversations with strangers.

Boosting businesses

If you walked around downtown Phoenix on Saturday, you saw something unusual: people. Thanks to light rail, bars and restaurants that are nearly empty on many weekends were buzzing with people.

Good behavior

Inviting 90,000 people to a party that takes place over 20 miles can be a logistical nightmare. The good news for event planners was that Valley residents largely behaved themselves, waiting to board trains without pushing or shoving when trains rolled into the stations. No arrests were reported by Saturday evening, leaving the dozens of police along the line to chat amiably with riders.

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Crowds say lines, construction worth the long wait for light rail
by John Faherty, Casey Newton, Glen Creno and Kerry Fehr-Snyder
Dec. 28, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

The lines were long and the weather was cold, but the trains were right on time.

After more than a decade of planning, and $1.4 billion in spending, the Valley's light-rail system became a reality at precisely 10 on Saturday morning, when trains carrying passengers started rolling down the tracks.

At stations all along the 20-mile line, passengers lined up with video and cellphone cameras to record the moment.

"I've been waiting for this day like a kid waiting for Christmas," said Janine Roumain of Tempe.

A native of Chicago, Roumain expects transplants from other big cities will gravitate to the mass-transit system. "Students, poor people, older people, tourists - this will appeal to all sorts of groups," she said.

More than 90,000 people rode the train on Saturday, according to Metro, which operates the system.

They waited in line, they rode the rails and listened to congratulatory speeches.

"It was local vision, local cooperation and local determination that turned this dream into this electrifying reality that we're about to see run this morning," said Mary Peters, the U.S. secretary of Transportation, at a grand-opening event in Phoenix.

As a Dixieland jazz band played, Peters then took a pair of oversized novelty scissors and cut a ribbon strung up in front of a train as it pulled out for its maiden voyage.

An early start

Hours earlier, on the coldest morning of the year, Valley residents put on their winter coats to be part of history.

"I was trying to beat the crowd, of course there's no crowd. My ears are about to freeze off," said Steve Demardes of Phoenix, at the station near 19th Avenue and Montebello. "I just want to be part of the big experience."

Gary Keyfauver was glad to have company.

He arrived before 6 a.m. so he could ride on the first train to hold passengers.

He had particular hope that the system will revive downtown Phoenix.

"I saw it die," Keyfauver said. "Maybe I'll see it come back to life."

While he waited, he may have been the first evidence that light rail will help businesses along the track. He went into the nearby JB's Restaurant to drink coffee and get warmAbout one hour before the first trains, the lines began to grow.

Why they rode

When the trains started running, they worked almost perfectly. But the lines remained long.

A police officer in Mesa estimated that the line to get on was approximately 2 1/2 hours around noon.

At the other end, near the Christown Spectrum Mall, the line was approximately 90 minutes at midday.

A lot of riders were getting on the train at one end and riding it all the way to the other, a trip that takes an hour and 25 minutes.

Others used the train as an excuse to bar-hop in downtown Phoenix, meet friends for lunch on Mill Avenue or take a trip to Mesa.

Holly Pearson of Tempe and friend Travis Sealock of Chandler rode the train from Tempe to Central Avenue in Phoenix to share a meal at Matt's Big Breakfast.

"For three years I've been watching it be built," said Pearson, who lives near the line on Apache Boulevard. "I had to see what it was like."

Maureen Crockett and a friend waited an hour and a half at the end-of-the-line station in Phoenix and disembarked about 45 minutes later.

"We're just riding to Tempe, Mill Avenue, for lunch and riding back. And then we can say we did it," Crockett said.

Riders appeared to be enjoying themselves.

They cheered when they crossed Tempe Town Lake, they pointed at things they were seeing from a new perspective and kept smiling even as they stayed crammed together for the entire ride.

Cathy Simpson of Tempe was an instant fan.

"This is historic," Simpson said. "Before too long, people will wonder what we did without it."

Many said the new transit system had already given the region the big-city feel that critics say it lacks.

"It's one of the things that makes a city a city - whether it be light rail or some other form of transit," said Keith Susman, a former Chicago resident who was waiting for a train in downtown Phoenix. He said he plans to take the train to events downtown.

A long time coming

The light-rail project began gathering steam in 1996, when Tempe voters passed a transit tax.

Phoenix voters followed in 2000, setting the stage for the federal government to approve a $587 million grant for the project.

A groundbreaking ceremony in February 2005 marked the start of nearly four years of construction that hurt businesses and forced lengthy lane closures on major arterial streets.

It also created hundreds of jobs and spurred significant redevelopment efforts along the line. Tempe attributes $4 billion in projects to light rail's influence.

Saturday's opening had officials breathing a sigh of relief and promising great things to come.

"Everyone's talking about how much fun this is and how exciting it is. But we all know that this is not a Disneyland ride," said U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz. "This is the first phase of a light-rail system that will help us reach a shared vision of an . . . economically vibrant urban corridor."

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, a strong light-rail advocate since coming into office, bounded out of a rail car and began shaking hands at Third and Washington streets in downtown Phoenix.

"They said this was a folly," a triumphant Gordon told the crowd. "They said it shouldn't be built. ... Today, you don't hear or see many of those individuals. . . . Now more than ever, you've seen how it's created thousands of well-paying jobs."

Gordon called the train "an economic engine, literally and figuratively."

Councilwoman Peggy Neely thanked business owners for their patience for the nearly four-year construction process, a period that left several businesses on the brink of closing up shop.

"To all the businesses that have been believers but have struggled, thank you," she said.

Councilman Greg Stanton said the trains would easily integrate into the community.

"In a very short period of time, we're going to forget what life was like without light rail," he said.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith was one of many officials to joke about the cold temperatures.

"In Mesa, one of light rail's staunchest opponents used to say, 'Light rail will come to Mesa when hell freezes over,' " Smith said. "So I think this (weather) is appropriate."

Taking the train

Regular service begins Monday at 4:40 a.m., with free rides through Wednesday. After that, it's $1.25 a ride, or $2.50 for an all-day pass.

That will be the first true test of the system. The parties will be over, and the novelty of riding will fade.

Gregg Tilzer said light rail will change how he gets from his Phoenix home to his job in Tempe.

"You can take one train to get there," said Tilzer, who runs a recreation program for people who have brain injuries. "You can't take one bus. You'd have to take eight."

But on Saturday, people were there for the history.

Margaret Snyder, who waited in line in Mesa, was the kind of passenger who proponents of the system dreamed about when they were feeling particularly confident.

Snyder and her husband drove up from their home in Ajo, parked in Mesa, and then planned to get off in downtown Phoenix to see the Nutcracker at Symphony Hall.

She represented tourism, support of the arts and a commitment to downtown.

"We wanted to ride it on opening day," Snyder said. "It's worth the wait in line."

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Light rail draws long lines in first weekend
by Betty Reid
Dec. 28, 2008 06:05 PM
The Arizona Republic

More than 150,000 people rode the new light rail trains that rolled out this weekend in the Valley.

On Sunday, riders waited in long lines at both ends of the boarding stations in Phoenix and Mesa but the wait wasn't as bad as Saturday when the trains debuted.No admission is being charged until Thursday.

Many people boarded near Chris-Town Spectrum Mall or at Sycamore/Main Street in Mesa and went round trip.

Mesa resident Russell McManaman, who stood in line at Apache Blvd and Main Street for nearly a half hour, likened the wait to get on rides at Disneyland.

"Hey, do they have fast pass here?" he quipped.

McManaman said he came out with his family to "see how efficient light rail would be." He and his family ended up catching an express bus later Sunday afternoon to return to the Mesa station because the line was so long for the light rail.

He said that light rail is a great mode of transportation to attend events or shopping but it is not reliable enough for commuting to work.

Many who had returned the second day and found shorter wait times.

Among them were Connie Brown and her daughter Catherine Cutter, who boarded Sunday at Seventh Avenue and Camelback Road. The Phoenix residents said they rode the rail shortly on Saturday and returned Sunday to see the entire route.

On Sunday, the challenge was finding place to sit and stand firmly. As the rail moved forward, Brown gripped a bar to support herself and daughter in the packed train.

"It feels like skateboarding," Brown said. "A couple of crashes with people but everyone is good natured."

The rail riders gawked at Valley landmarks along the line like Chase Field, US Airways Center, Sky Harbor International Airport, Tovrea Castle, Tempe Town Lake, and Wells Fargo Arena. The Scottsdale family of the Alex and Constance Salas caught the rail near Tempe and enjoyed the round trip. Salas, 37, said the reason she and her large family rode was to determine if the transportation was kid friendly and whether it would benefit her schedule.

Salas, a Gateway Community College student, concluded she would ride light rail but would not again bring her younger children who are 3 to 8 years old.

"I didn't feel it's safe for small children," Salas said. "The bars, for example, are located too high and little kids can't reach them if they board a car packed with people."

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