Scottsdale council terminates membership on light-rail board
by Lynh Bui
Jun. 17, 2009 02:52 PM
The Arizona Republic

Scottsdale will not renew its membership with Valley Metro Rail Inc., but discussion of how to connect the city to light rail is not dead.

The Scottsdale City Council will talk about whether or not the city should conduct a survey to get a more detailed picture of how residents feel about the mass transit system.

Vice Mayor Ron McCullagh asked that officials discuss a possible survey after the City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to end Scottsdale's membership on the Metro board.

Those supporting the move thought the $50,000 annual fee to Metro was a needless expense considering the city does not have any light-rail tracks or plans for tracks in the future.

"If we're going to have to make some tough decisions (about the city's budget), this seems like an easy one to me," Mayor Jim Lane said.

Lane, who sits on the Metro board, said the group's meetings focus mainly on administrative work and not regional transportation planning.

Council members Lisa Borowsky, Bob Littlefield and Tony Nelssen voted with Lane in the majority. Council members Wayne Ecton, Suzanne Klapp and McCullagh voted against canceling the city's membership.

McCullagh said he is not for or against light rail, but wanted to keep Scottsdale's options for connecting to the system open.

The $50,000 annual membership fee is "irrelevant" considering the city has an operating budget of more than $200 million, he said. The real issue is asking residents how they really feel about light rail in Scottsdale.

"It's time to hear from the public," McCullagh said.

Light rail has long been a topic of hot debate in Scottsdale. Supporters see the rail as a way to jump-start revitalization and relieve congestion. But opponents have worried about the cost of the system and construction disrupting local businesses or the city's Western character.

Longtime resident Darlene Petersen spoke out against keeping the city's contract with Metro.

The $50,000 yearly fee "adds up and up when we are dying for tax money," she said.

"It is now time to put a stake in the heart of this Dracula."

Along with the costs of Metro membership, the council also discussed this week whether the city should keep paying for lobbying services based in Washington, D.C.

The council debated whether an $80,000 contract with Carolyn C. Chaney and Associates for federal lobbying and information services was worth the cost.

The council voted 4-3 to continue the contract, with Borowsky, Ecton, Klapp and McCullagh in favor.

Some were concerned that not having a Capitol Hill lobbyist would hinder the city's ability to secure stimulus funds and federal appropriations for transportation, public safety and other programs.

In the past, the firm has helped Scottsdale acquire $1 million for Indian Bend Road improvements, $180,000 for renovations to the Vista del Camino Community Center, and $2.5 million to extend and widen taxiways at the Scottsdale Airport.

The $80,000 yearlong contract, and an additional $6,000 for the company's possible expenses, is a good return on investment, Klapp said.

Several Valley cities contract for federal lobbying help, including Tempe, Glendale and Mesa.

But Lane called the contract a "luxury," and he said the city should rely on dealing directly with elected officials to get work done for Scottsdale at the federal level.

Funding cuts shelve county transit service
by Edythe Jensen and Beth Duckett
Jun. 18, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Maricopa County is shutting down its Special Transportation Services after June 30 because of funding cuts, leaving hundreds of the elderly, wheelchair-bound and disabled poor with dwindling mobility options.

Some of the hardest hit will be the disabled in unincorporated areas such as the Sun Lakes retirement community south of Chandler, where alternatives like Valley Metro's Dial-A-Ride are not available and where a non-profit transportation service dependant on volunteers can't accommodate people in wheelchairs.

Sun Lakes resident Carol DeYoung, 63, said she depends on the free county service to get her and her motorized wheelchair to physical-therapy sessions.

She doubts she will be able to go as often when the service ends.

"I will have to ride in my chair to the Safeway in Chandler to catch Dial-A-Ride. That takes me about two hours," she said, adding she's worried about being outside that long in the summer heat.

A former Red Cross volunteer, DeYoung had polio as a child and has been using a wheelchair since 2003. She quit driving in 1991 and said dwindling transportation options "are the pits sometimes."

The rides wouldn't be ending if there was money to support them, said Patrick Burkhart, assistant director of Maricopa County's Human Services Department. With an annual budget of $2.1 million, the transportation service became insolvent this year because it depended on state funds to meet matching federal-grant requirements. Those funds have evaporated, he said.

The 47 vans on which so many depended will be sold or given back to Phoenix, which provided the money for them. Eleven already have been put out of service with high mileage.

More than 600 clients who have used the service since Jan. 1 were notified by mail in April that it would stop June 30 and were given lists of 42 alternative providers, Burkhart said. Most of the providers have geographic limitations; some are non-profits that can't handle wheelchairs or deal with taxi services that have hefty charges.

Information going out to the public is confusing. The Special Transportation Services portion of the county's Web site makes no mention of the impending service cut. Neither does a listing on the Valley Metro Dial-a-Ride site that lists the service as an option for the disabled.

Fountain Hills resident Dawn Talos, 46, uses the county vans at least twice a week for rides to therapy sessions, doctors' appointments and occasional shopping. Talos, who uses a wheelchair as a result of an accident, said she's worried about the van drivers who will be losing their jobs and the changes coming in her life.

"I really don't know what I'm going to do. It will be rough," she said.

To pick up the slack, some cities are working with Valley Metro and local volunteers. Fountain Hills, for example, is starting "Give-a-Lift," a program that will match volunteer drivers with ambulatory riders. Because most people do not have wheelchair-accessible vehicles, riders who are handicapped would have to use a taxicab service. The town is considering a $67,000 annual subsidy for cab costs, volunteer coordinator Heather Ware said.

Neighbors Who Care, a non-profit that serves the homebound in south Chandler and Sun Lakes, has for years organized volunteer drivers to help transport those who can't drive. But the volunteers' vehicles don't accommodate wheelchairs, agency director Chris Stage said.

"I appreciate all the alternatives being identified by the county, but this is going to create a hole that will be difficult to fill," Stage said. Because Sun Lakes is unincorporated, its large population of elderly residents can't qualify for city-funded transportation services such as cab coupons. Stage said she hopes local groups and governments "can work together to find a community solution."

In Mesa, recent cutbacks in the county service had such a negative impact on the Red Mountain Senior Center's clients that the city purchased a wheelchair van to transport center patrons, said Dan Taylor, executive director for East Valley Senior Services.

Money came from grants that previously went toward the county service.

Tempe light rail ridership holding strong
by Elisabeth Arriero
Jun. 23, 2009 12:33 PM
The Arizona Republic

Efficient. Clean. Cheap. Easy to understand.

Tempe residents agree: There are plenty of good reasons to ride the Valley Metro LightRail.

And according to numbers recently released by Metro Light Rail, ridership reflects the global appeal to light rail. With the exception of last month, ridership in Tempe has steadily increased since it started running in late December."Everybody across all social boundaries can make use of it," said rider M. Davis of Tempe, who didn't want to give his full name. "It's very easy, very straight-forward. Everything is clearly marked."

Hillary Foose, public information officer for Metro light rail, said the company credits the decline in May to schools, especially Arizona State University, being out of session and the departure of winter residents. In the system as a whole, average weekly ridership rose by 9.7 percent between January and May. Still, Foose said the light rail is continuously reaching its numbers. For average weekday ridership between January and April, numbers exceeded projections by 32.6 percent. Monthly ridership rose from 911,883 in January to 1,044,135 in April before dropping to 928,259 in May.

Saturday marks the six month anniversary of light rail in the Valley.

Iain Woessner, an ASU student, said he has been riding the light rail to the university's downtown Phoenix campus since light rail service began. Currently attending summer school, Woessner said he suspects the benefits of the light rail have become more obvious as the economy has worsened.

"With traffic and the cost of gas, it's cheaper than driving," he said. "I think more and more people are catching on that it's a pretty convenient way to get around."

And increasing numbers of residents have started using the light rail to get to Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns games.

"There's definitely a lot of sports riders on the weekends because it's so convenient for them to use it," said Ryan Winstead, a light rail rider.

Despite the convenience of the light rail, many riders expressed concern over increased fees, beginning July 1.

The one-way fare will go from $1.25 to $1.75 and an all-day pass will rise from $2.50 to $3.50.

Windstead said he hopes Valley Metro doesn't make a habit of raising prices every few months.

"We need public transportation to continue to be affordable," he said. "I'm hoping it will stay set after this."

Foose said that the increase, which will also apply to bus fares, is an "unfortunate response" to the recent shortfall in sales tax revenue, which supports transit in general.

She added that there hasn't been a regional fare increase since 1994.

Fireworks by train
Sean Holstege
Light Rail Blog
The Arizona Republic
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 02:10 PM

Metro wants to avoid a crush at the fare machines on July 4, and is offering price breaks to people who buy tickets in advance.

Independence Day will be another big test of the young system. Popular fireworks shows will be going on simultaneously at Tempe Town Lake and Steele Indian School Park. Both events have nearby light rail stations, so Metro will run maximum service to accommodate the expected crowds. Normally on weekends and holidays, Metro runs fewer trains but all cars will be in service for the Fourth.

Metro is selling all-day event passes on its website for $2.50. On July 1, train and bus fares go up. An all-day pass will cost $3.50 on light rail. Passengers who want to save a dollar on the Fourth or avoid potentially long lines at the vending machines have until Saturday to buy them online here or in person at Central Station (1st Street/Ave-Van Buren Station) in downtown Phoenix or the Tempe Transportation Center at Fifth Street and Forest Avenue (nearest station: Veterans Way).

People can also save some money for their routine train trips by buying blocks of tickets online, at the two transit centers or at some Valley supermarkets and stores before July 1. Metro is limiting sales to 10 at a time. Here's a full list of outlets for bus and train tickets.

The holiday also marks the first weekend Metro will run late-night service. The last trains will leave the ends of the line at 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. They will travel the entire length and the track, a journey that takes about 70 minutes. The last westbound train will then double back and go out of service at Central Station. The last eastbound train turns back as far as Mill Avenue Station before going out of service. Metro has not finalized a schedule yet, but says anybody who heads to a nearby station after last call will have time to meet the last train.

back to top

Light-rail extension planned for 19th Ave. delayed until 2014
Phoenix can't afford to open 3-mile leg yet
by Sean Holstege
Jun. 25, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Phoenix officials have put the brakes on the new light-rail system's first expansion, saying it cannot afford to build tracks or operate trains along another 3 miles of 19th Avenue.

The delay of at least 16 months means the soonest the light-rail extension can open is 2014, about six years after the starter line opened.

Deputy City Manager Ed Zuercher said he decided against asking the Phoenix City Council to award a construction contract on the Northwest Extension because local sales-tax receipts, the sole funding source, have nose-dived in the past three months.

Unlike other extensions, the projected $273 million project is being paid for entirely by local sales taxes because the city wanted to avoid a complicated process required to tap federal funds.

Work was to have begun in the spring and was pushed back to June. Now, Zuercher said, the soonest the city will revisit a construction contract for the extension will be late 2010. Phoenix will use the time to acquire property along 19th Avenue.

The delay could be prolonged if economic conditions continue to deteriorate, which could happen because the decline in tax revenue is accelerating.

It's now possible that the first addition to the Metro system could be an automated people-mover connecting the 44th Street Station to Sky Harbor International Airport. The first leg of the $1.1 billion Sky Train project is scheduled to carry its first passengers in 2013.

Rail network slowing

Phoenix's action is the latest sign that the timing and details of the 57-mile, light-rail network approved by voters remain in flux.

Last month, regional transportation groups agreed to push most light-rail projects back a year or two. One project, a 12-mile track toward Paradise Valley Mall, was pushed back to 2030, meaning it cannot happen unless voters renew the tax or rail planners find another source of cash. The tax expires in 2025.

A proposed south Tempe rail spur is running into technical and financial hurdles. Although a recommendation isn't due on the Rural Road alignment until the end of the year, planners are leaning toward a rapid bus, like Mesa's LINK line, as more feasible than light rail.

Last week, the Scottsdale City Council voted to quit the Valley Metro board, the strongest signal yet that light rail is a long shot in that community.

In the West Valley, a study of two possible routes to Glendale is due to begin by the end of summer, but both rely on Phoenix completing the track within its city limits. One route, a voter-backed plan to go to downtown Glendale, would branch out from the now-delayed Northwest Extension. The other would extend west through Phoenix in the median of Interstate 10, then run along Loop 101 to the Westgate Center in Glendale.

Construction on a Glendale extension isn't scheduled to begin until 2016, so the project won't necessarily be set back by Phoenix's delay.

"We don't believe (the Northwest Extension) will be completely out of the plan, but it's a matter of how long before Phoenix can afford it," said Jamsheed Mehta, Glendale's transportation director.

Troubled history

The Northwest Extension has had a difficult birthing.

Initially, tracks were envisioned crossing Interstate 17 and ending at Metrocenter mall. When it hired planning consultants, Metro decided it made more sense to stop at a corporate park on the eastern side of the freeway.

Two years later in March 2007, Phoenix leaders pared that project, shortening the track by nearly 2 miles and eliminating two proposed stations.

Phoenix and Metro decided to use only local taxes to build the extension because construction would go faster without having to meet regulations tied to federal funding. About three-quarters of the money comes from a Phoenix sales tax approved in 2000; the rest comes from Prop. 400, a countywide sales tax passed in 2004.

By avoiding the federal bureaucracy, Phoenix and Metro also now have made it unlikely that they could tap federal stimulus money.

Phoenix, Glendale, regional and Metro officials called the delay regrettable but prudent.

"This is disappointing news, but not a surprise given the state of the economy. Although difficult, it's the fiscally responsible thing to do," Metro Chief Executive Officer Rick Simonetta wrote in an e-mail to employees earlier this month.

"The overwhelming feeling is disappointment," Zuercher said, explaining that he made the decision because contractors were ready to begin staging work. "We've experienced the high of opening day. We've seen the growing ridership. We've heard the positive comments about what light rail is doing for Phoenix, but the economic reality is driving everything now."

The Northwest Extension took shape when planners made economic forecasts at the peak of the local economy. In the past three months alone, Phoenix has lowered its projections on transit-tax revenue by $60 million.

Metro said the changes do not break faith with Valley voters.

"Our goals are still the same: We will still use the regional transit plan as a guide to plan extensions," Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose said. "This is a result of the economic times, but people are still going to get what they voted for."

Glendale light rail's arrival delayed by at least 2 years
by Rebekah L. Sanders
Jun. 26, 2009 10:37 AM
The Arizona Republic

Light rail in Glendale will open at least two years later than expected, based on new Metro estimates that light-rail extensions across the Valley will be delayed.

The recession is gouging millions of dollars in sales tax revenue from the region's light-rail budgets. With less money for construction, extensions will take more time to be completed.

Glendale leaders are considering whether to build light rail from Phoenix to downtown Glendale or to the city's sports and entertainment district at Loop 101. Either way, Glendale will have to wait on extensions that Phoenix is postponing by 16 months or more.

Glendale's downtown line would depend on construction of the 19th Avenue extension in Phoenix, which is now scheduled to open in 2014 instead of 2012.

A link to Glendale's sports and entertainment district would hook up to Phoenix's future Interstate 10 extension, which has been pushed back to 2021 from 2019.

So far only the downtown Glendale route is sketched on Metro light rail maps. If Glendale goes ahead with laying tracks to its downtown, the project likely will open in 2019 instead of 2017, according to Metro estimates.

Voters in Glendale approved the downtown plan in 2001, before facilities for professional hockey, football and baseball and the shopping and dining complex Westgate City Center were built west of downtown.

Community advocates say the downtown line would help the most neighborhoods, cost less money and fulfill the voters' mandate.

But Mayor Elaine Scruggs and others contend it would benefit the region more to run light rail along Interstate 10 and Loop 101, ending at the sports and entertainment district where thousands of homes, offices and shops are supposed to spring up in the future.

back to top

Valley Metro fares going up Wednesday
MIKE BRANOM
TRIBUNE
June 28, 2009 - 11:59AM

Come Wednesday, riding a bus or light-rail train will cost a little more.

Valley Metro, the region's mass transit agency, is raising the price of a one-way ticket by 50 cents to $1.75. An all-day pass, probably the most common fare purchased by commuters, will be $3.50. This will be the first increase in the base fare since 1994.

Tickets can be bought at more than 150 outlets Valleywide, including Fry's and Safeway grocery stores. Another significant change effective Wednesday is that fare machines aboard buses now will accept $5 bills.

back to top

Bus, light-rail fares going up Wednesday
by Sean Holstege
Jun. 29, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Bus and rail fares are going up sharply across the Valley this week.

The increases, which take effect Wednesday, were approved because Valley Metro faces rising costs and declining sales-tax revenues and must meet a goal of recovering 25 percent of its operating budget through fares.

The base fare for local bus and rail service will climb 40 percent, from $1.25 to $1.75; the base fare for express buses will rise 57 percent, from $1.75 to $2.75.

There are ways people can save money.

Passengers can buy blocks of passes at the current rates online or at about 150 participating outlets until Wednesday. Those outlets include government buildings, transit centers and certain stores.

If riders buy all-day passes at those sites instead of on a bus, they will save money under the new plan. The purpose of that approach is to discourage people from buying tickets onboard, which can slow service.

Passengers with disabilities and those 65 and older or ages 6-18 will pay half-fare for all types of tickets or passes. Children under 6 ride free.

Valley Metro hasn't enacted a comprehensive Valley-wide fare increase since 1994, though some individual fares went up in recent years.

back to top

6 months after debut, light rail remains busy
Transit system celebrates robust ridership, good reviews
by Elisabeth Arriero
Jun. 29, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

For six months, light-rail trains have run their 20-mile track between Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, picking up millions of passengers.

The $1.4 billion project, which began running Dec. 27, has slowly grown in popularity, with riders citing cleanliness, efficiency and ease as reasons why they ride.

"Everybody across all social boundaries can make use of it," said rider M. Davis of Tempe. "It's very easy, very straightforward. Everything is clearly marked."

As of Saturday, the system had been operating for six months.

Among the notable facts:
• Monthly ridership rose from 911,883 in January to 1,044,135 in April before dropping to 928,259 in May.
• Though Metro has been involved in 27 accidents, it has not been deemed at-fault in any of them. Damage to the trains has been mild, estimated to be about $1,500 and $10,000 per accident.
• Relatively few people have ridden the trains without paying. Of 168,860 inspections systemwide in April, only 220 passengers - fewer than 1 percent - were found to be riding without paying their fare.

Hillary Foose, public-information officer for Metro light rail, said the organization has continually realized or beaten its projections for ridership.

For average weekday ridership between January and April, numbers exceeded projections by 32.6 percent.

Foose credited the ridership decline in May to schools, especially Arizona State University, being out of session, as well as the departure of winter residents.

As a whole, average weekly ridership rose by 9.7 percent between January and May.

Iain Woessner, an ASU student, said he had been riding the light rail to the university's downtown Phoenix campus since light-rail service began.

Woessner, who is currently attending summer school, said he suspected the benefits of the light rail have become more obvious as the economy has worsened.

"With traffic and the cost of gas, it's cheaper than driving," he said. "I think more and more people are catching on that it's a pretty convenient way to get around."

And increasing numbers of residents have started using the light rail to get to Diamondbacks and Suns games.

"There's definitely a lot of sports riders on the weekends because it's so convenient for them to use it," said Ryan Winstead, a light-rail rider.

Foose said there have been only two recurring issues with light rail: accidents with other vehicles and people not knowing the difference between different passes.

Citations have been issued to drivers involved in crashes with light-rail trains.

"Most of the time, the accident occurred because the driver didn't obey a red light or arrow," Foose said.

On average, the train damage has been moderate and mostly aesthetic, Foose said.

Riders are occasionally confused about how certain passes are used, Foose said.

Some assume others are riding for free when they see someone board the light rail without stopping at the ticket machine, she said. But she pointed out that some passes can be validated days before being used.

Foose said the platinum pass has led to some problems because riders think it's a membership pass, and thus believe they simply need to have it on them.

"But they really need to be validating that card on an orange pad every time they use it," Foose said. "It's a pay-as-you-use card."

Foose said the company plans to tackle both issues by continuing with education campaigns for pedestrians, riders and drivers.

For more information on Metro light rail, visit valleymetro.org.

back to top

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