by bryan | Jun 18, 2010 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Real Estate Development
Well, don’t laugh. It may become an actual reality. Tempe AZ is discussing plans to build a modern street car system on several downtown routes. The idea would be to link the city center with areas that are in the south, maybe as far as Chandler. Now that would be news… The question will be discussed this summer, and will include actually where to run the tracks on which street. First it was Mill, but Ash is also up for discussion. Mill may be a little tight. Streetcar construction would likely be a less disruptive proposition than the light rail work. The streetcar is lighter, so crews don’t have to dig as deep into the street or move as many utilities. The utility relocation is the most agonizing part of construction. So now for the numbers (and we are in a recession). The project could cost about $150 to $175 million, but not all local money. About $75 million could come from you guessed it: Washington. Stay tuned for more updates. **|** Bryan Watkins sells real estate in Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler. You can have FREE ACCESS to my official MLS by going to http://LRARealEstate.com. Or, you can also call or text Bryan at 480.734.7878, or email bryan@LRAphx.com today. Courtesy of Agrin Groff, EVT ______________ ____________________...
by bryan | Jun 5, 2010 | light rail corridor
$1.1 Billion tab. Don’t worry, if you don’t use the airport, you won’t have to pay for the Sky Train. A friend who is a pilot for a large airline told me that he has to now taxi the long way to get from the landing runway to the terminal because of the construction. ‘It is disruptive for my flying routine’, he said. The automatic train that will shuttle passengers to the 3 terminals, the rental car facility, parking areas and the 44th Street/Washington Street light rail Station. You can begin using the train in 2013, and the final touches will be completed in 2020. For now, workers are building the bridge for the train that is 100 feet in the air and and crosses an airport path. Wow. Now we are seeing progress. This new train construction will be called ‘Sky Train’, aptly named after ‘Sky Harbor’. It will be the first transportation system in the U.S. that will be built over an active taxiway. It won’t affect takeoffs and landings, just the moving of airplanes. The completed system will be 4.8 miles in length and cost $1.1 Billion. It will be paid for with bonds, and the bonds will be amortized with fees from passengers who use Sky Harbor Airport…AZ Central full article -courtesy of Jahne Berry of AZ Central; photo courtesy of Charlie Leight, Arizona Republic LightRailConnect.com makes it easy to live, work and play near the tracks. We offer news and information about light rail events and happenings. Apartment communities in the light rail corridor use LightRailConnect.com and LightRailConnect Magazine to advertise and fill vacancies. **|** __________________ ___________________________...
by bryan | May 22, 2010 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Valley Metro
The Metro Board pushed back planned light rail extensions and will require a new regional tax to be built, according to actions taken this week. These include extensions to towards the Paradise Valley Mall, Glendale, and toward Peoria Avenue in Phoenix. All these extensions will now be funded by the 2004 voter-passed Prop 400 plus state and federal funds. Money from Prop 400 runs out in 2025 and the region does not have the money to fund these and other project that were originally planned. -courtesy of AZ Central, April 22,...
by bryan | May 22, 2010 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Valley Metro
The Metro reported record ridership for the month of April 2010 of over 1.2 million passengers. This surpasses all other reported numbers since the train started operating 17 months ago. The previous month of March 2010 reported a then-record of 1.16 million riders. The Diamondbacks home opener on Monday April 5 now stands as Metro’s daily record-holder, with 55,679 officially measured boardings. Metro also had its first back-to-back 50,000-passenger days, when D’Backs games coincided with an Eagles concert and a Phoenix Suns playoff...
by bryan | May 22, 2010 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Valley Metro
Regional transit planners are mapping out new light rail lines in spots that were inconceivable a few years ago, as they grapple with how urban Arizona takes shape in the coming 50 years. Early studies show that reasonable demand will exist for light rail to succeed on 44th Street, Camelback Road, south Central Avenue, Bell Road and other routes not previously planned, allowing a web to be built that is far more expansive than what is currently envisioned. Officials at the Maricopa Association of Governments, Arizona Department of Transportation and Metro point out these conceptual routes are not intended to replace the voter-approved plan for 57 miles of track. However, early findings show that the Phoenix region has a historic opportunity to rethink light rail’s role – and maybe change some original routes. Pushing the new ideas are changes in national policies, demographic trends and a deepening awareness of the causes and effects of the Great Recession. The federal government plans to ease funding for urban mass-transit projects, and Valley cities are adjusting their plans to cash in. Whatever happens will be decades away, and there is no budget identified to build it. But transit and other leaders say the country is at a pivotal moment that could shape the future of cities like Phoenix. The economy has a way of changing minds -courtesy of the Arizona Republic April 15,...
by bryan | May 22, 2010 | light rail corridor, Valley Metro
The transit board met to discuss a list of cost cutting proposals last Wednesday and voted to cut operating hours which will slightly increase passenger waiting times. The list of cost reductions are planned to cut $1.6 million from the operating budget this year. So, what does this mean to light rail passengers? Shorten peak operating hours; start 7:00 am instead of 6:00 a.m., and end 6:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. Run peak trains every 12 minutes instead of every 10 minutes Add five light schedule days to tie in with holidays, a change from normal operating schedules There are additional administrative cuts in the amount of $2.4 million, which includes pay freezes, reduction on contracted work, and hiring freezes. The approved annual operating budget is $33.2 million for the 20 mile system. After considering choices placed before them, the Metro Board decided not to cut the hours or reduce planned late night weekend train service. The new budget assumes a 200,000 drop in ridership due to the economy the valley is...
