New Homes & Lifestyles
Light Rail is On the Way - by Hillary Foose
With the Valley experiencing a rapid population boom, the transportation infrastructure has had a difficult time keeping up. In 2004, voters passed Proposition 400 to build and execute a regional transportation plan to help with congestion on the roads and freeways. A key aspect of the plan is high capacity transit. The 20-mile METRO light rail project will bring convenience and connection to the Valley when it opens for operation this December.
Light rail is a high capacity transit mode that is powered by electricity and operates at street level in a lane separate from the general auto traffic. METRO light rail trains are capable of traveling up to 55 miles per hour, but they will consistently travel at posted speed limits. The trains will operate 18 to 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Passengers will be able to catch the train every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off-peak hours, which are nights and weekends.
METRO will save passengers time and money considering gas prices on the rise and current rush hour traffic conditions. Each light rail vehicle can comfortably carry 175 passengers, and commonly you will see three trains linked to carry 525 passengers at one time. The system ultimately has the capacity to carry up to 15,000 people per hour, which is comparable to a six-lane freeway.
Passengers will enjoy a smooth ride in state-of-the-art METRO light rail trains. Whether riders are traveling alone, with a bicycle or in a wheelchair, trains are easily accessible from the station platform with floors that are same level. This allows riders to board the vehicles without ramps, lifts or steps. The trains are also equipped with wide aisles, electronic message displays and audible announcements at stations and inside the trains. Each air-conditioned train provides seating and room for four wheelchairs and four bicycles.
Passengers will also travel comfortably and safely as a result of some of the innovative system design features. Most of the light rail stations are located in the center of the roadway and passengers can access the well-lit stations from a signaled intersection. Station design also includes shade canopies, louvered panels to provide additional shade, seating, route maps, timetables, drinking fountains, public telephones, garbage containers and landscaping-all in an effort to keep patrons cool and comfortable during the summer months.
Unique artwork commissioned by local and national artists is also featured at each station. Not only does artwork have aesthetic benefits, it is proven to benefit the surrounding community by creating local pride, encouraging ridership and discouraging vandalism.
The 20-mile METRO route travels through the hearts of downtown Phoenix and Tempe and continues into west Mesa. This route is one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the Valley and now connects riders to destinations such as Arizona State University, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, US Airways Center, Chase Field, a variety of museums and several businesses.
With 28 stations, eight park-and-ride facilities and five transit centers for bus-rail connections, the METRO system is expected to post 26,000 boardings per day. And riders will be able to use the system for one low fare! The fare structure is the same as that established by Valley Metro bus service, so riders will experience seamless connections between bus and rail and the same affordable service. Passes start at $1.25 for a single ride, $2.50 for all day and $45 for a month's pass. There are many other types of passes as well to fit all riders' needs.
Convenient transportation is not the only benefit of light rail. Valley residents are also expected to see a boost in the economy. Transit oriented development is very common with an increasing number of people passing a particular area. New office and residential buildings as well as businesses are currently being built or designed along the rail line to accommodate the demand.
In addition to an influx of riders, area demand for services as well as transit options will also increase, with more than 190,000 people already working within a half-mile of the alignment and another 73,000 expected to work in the area by 2020. Currently, 95,000 people live within a half-mile of the system corridor; the population is expected to increase to 191,000 in the next 12 years.
With the population continuing to boom in Greater Phoenix, the planning effort has already begun for the development of 37 additional miles of high capacity transit extensions. A five-mile light rail extension to northwest Phoenix is now in the engineering phase, and high-capacity transit studies are underway for a 2.7-mile transit corridor extension into downtown Mesa; a two-mile corridor extension into south Tempe; and an 11-mile extension into west Phoenix. Other transit corridor study areas include five miles in Glendale and 12 miles into northeast Phoenix.
With the Grand Opening scheduled for December 27 and 28, METRO has a number of activities planned including individual station celebrations, a ribbon cutting ceremony with elected officials and free weekend rides. We encourage everyone to come out and experience the system.
Whether a student commuting between campuses, a professional commuting to work or an avid sports fan going to a game, METRO creates a seamless mode of transit for all Valley residents.
Hillary Foose is Public Information Officer for METRO Light Rail in Phoenix.
metrolightrail.org
