From: "Friends of Transit" To: Subject: Pushing the buttons for light rail Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 8:28 PM Pushing the buttons for light rail United Arizona delegation must pursue federal funding Sept. 15, 2002 The Arizona Republic Editorial Large public works projects require lengthy planning and design phases and take years to build. Peaks and valleys abound. Disruptions occur. Time lines change. Through it all, it's vitally important to keep perspective. It was more than a quarter-century before the Central Arizona Project began delivering Colorado River water to the desert. Along the way there were monumental battles, from surviving Jimmy Carter's hit list to annual appropriation skirmishes. That project enjoyed unflinching, vigorous support from the state's entire congressional delegation. The Valley's light rail project shouldn't be any different. Any assessment of the planned $1 billion, 20-mile rail system - whether shaky or secure - is premature. It's just not far enough along. The Federal Transit Administration has given the project a "recommended" rating, meaning it has met and passed the test for federal funds. Engineering and design is ongoing, and sufficient money has flowed from Washington to keep it going at a reasonable clip. In fact, of the 19 rail systems in the U.S. at a similar juncture, the feds have awarded the third-highest sum, $44 million, to the Valley's project - behind only Raleigh, N.C., and Washington, D.C. Not too shabby. Rep. Ed Pastor has requested $80 million for the next cycle. He's likely to get but a fraction of that - still enough, however, to keep the project moving. Currently, the focus among Phoenix officials is where it should be - securing what is known as a "full funding grant agreement" with the feds. This agreement will guarantee a steady flow of funds and, most important, will place the project in the president's annual budget. Phoenix officials hope the contract will be signed in late 2003. This is where the unflinching and vigorous support of our congressional delegation comes in, a la the CAP. Washington is about politics, and with so many cities vying for transit funds, the energy, the seniority and the commitment of a state's congressional delegation are key to the success of any public works project. The good news is that Arizona's delegation, with the exception of Rep. Jeff Flake, has said it will back the level of funds spelled out in the still-developing grant agreement. As envisioned, the 50 percent federal share is expected to be about $500 million. That support should be the minimum. It's impossible to know how much the feds will recommend year to year and then how much Congress might trim. Vigorous and unflinching support from our congressional delegation will be critical. Voters have a right to expect their members of Congress to reflect the will of local voters who have made it clear that they want a successful light rail system. That means working the halls of Congress with the best of their colleagues, fighting for sufficient dollars to ensure that the light rail project doesn't sputter or hit a dead end. The people in the Valley want an efficient light rail system. They expect nothing less from the politicians sent to Washington to represent them. http://www.arizonarepublic.com/opinions/articles/0915sun2-15.html