by bryan | Jul 24, 2011 | light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information, Uncategorized
by Emily Gersema – Jul. 21, 2011 Arizona Business Gazette One of the stations on the Metro light rail gives travelers a cool refuge from the desert heat. The station at Third and Washington streets near the Phoenix Convention Center is cooled by a solar-powered water-cooling system that Mayor Phil Gordon says is a prototype for systems he hopes will be installed at other light-rail and bus stations. The cooling fans above the seats on platforms were turned on just in time for the rush of passengers during Major League Baseball’s All-Star week. “This was at no cost to the taxpayers,” Gordon said. The $300,000 project was paid with a mixture of funding from the company leading the project, NRG Thermal, and the contractors who worked on the project, said David Gaier, a spokesman for the company in Princeton, N.J. Gordon said he was interested in adding the solar-run cooling systems when he saw similar systems in Dubai. Jim Lodge of NRG said the chilled water from an NRG chilled-water plant near downtown Phoenix is pumped through coils in the upper section of the station. Solar panels on top of the station collect energy to power a set of fans, which blow the cooled air onto passengers waiting for the train. Passengers can turn the cooler on by pushing a button. NRG officials said they will cover the cost of maintaining the system at the station. Gordon said other similar cooling systems could be added to the Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix buildings. The NRG Energy Center is a chilled-water plant that has, since 2001, provided chilled water for cooling systems at 34 downtown buildings,...
by bryan | Jul 24, 2011 | light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information, Uncategorized
by Sean Holstege – Jul. 17, 2011 The Arizona Republic When the Valley’s economy was unraveling in 2008, transit service was an early casualty. Three years of cuts ensued. Dozens of bus lines were eliminated, rerouted or truncated. Wait times grew, and fares shot up on buses and light rail. Some of those transit cuts, and the resulting hardship for many riders, might have been averted if the Valley’s transit network were run by a single unified agency, an Arizona Republic analysis indicates. Unified transit systems are common among fast-growing Western cities. As it is, in Maricopa County, 11 local transit agencies provide bus and rail service, creating redundant costs in administrative personnel and contracted services such as bus operations and security. At $70 million a year, administrative costs make up nearly a quarter of the system’s total operating costs, making the Valley the third most top-heavy region in the country, according to data from federal and local agencies. Some local leaders believe those costs can be cut and are talking favorably of an eventual merger of transit agencies. “In a perfect world, I’d set up a base regional transit system, managed by a single regional agency, based not on city lines but on travel needs,” Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said. He and about a dozen other transit officials say a single agency could not only save the taxpayer-subsidized system money but also eliminate service gaps, such as poorly timed connections between cities, that inconvenience current riders and keep away prospective ones. Efforts to integrate the system over the years have been stalled by city leaders who fear losing local control and not...
by bryan | Jun 16, 2011 | light rail corridor, Valley Metro
courtesy of Phoenix Business Journal – by Adam Kress Date: Thursday, June 16, 2011 As 100-plus-degree temperatures set in, a solar-powered cooling system is coming to a busy Metro light rail stop in downtown Phoenix. NRG Thermal LLC, a subsidiary of Phoenix-based NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE:NRG), will build a system allowing travelers to push a button at the 3rd Street/Washington light rail stop for a hit of cool air. It comes from NRG’s downtown district cooling system, which uses chilled water underground to help cool buildings. Fans at the light rail stop will use solar power to blow the cold air onto riders. The system is scheduled to launch by July 5, before the Major League Baseball All-Star Game events begin. The game is set for July 12, but nearly a week of events leading up to it will bring thousands of tourists to downtown Phoenix. “I was able to experience a similar system during a business trip to Dubai and brought the idea back to Phoenix,” said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. “NRG took the ball and ran with it, investing its money and expertise to make this happen. This solar-powered system will make riding the light rail in Phoenix even cooler.” The system will operate from May through September each year. NRG is covering all costs of the project and maintenance. Access to light rail service and station amenities, including fare vending machines, will not be affected by the construction. The project also will include an educational exhibit showcasing the technology and how it works. NRG owns and operates NRG Energy Center Phoenix, which provides cooling for 34...
by bryan | Jun 8, 2011 | light rail corridor, News & Information, Real Estate Development
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 courtesy of the East Valley Tribune HUD awarded Mesa money to also buy homes in the new Mesa light rail extension corridor. $4 million worth. Mesa has been awarded $4 million to continue its program of buying foreclosed or abandoned homes so they can be renovated and resold to stem declining property values. The funds from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be used largely within a half-mile of the planned Metro light-rail extension, from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road and from University Drive to Broadway Road. Mesa has already received more than $9.6 million from HUD that it has used to buy and refurbish about 40 homes in the 85204 ZIP code. The city offers homes in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to buyers with limited incomes who must make part of a down payment, secure a 30-year, fixed-rate loan, complete home buying counseling and live in the home at least 15 years. Those who qualify will receive assistance with the down payment and closing costs. For more information about the program, call (480)...
by bryan | Jun 5, 2011 | Jobs, light rail corridor, News & Information, Uncategorized
Where, oh where are the jobs, today? Looking for a good job? Want to have an easy way to get to work, avoiding the hassles of traffic and parking? Today you have well over 200 choices! Jobs along light rail are available right now, today. Browse the list of opportunities on the growing list of careers. So, maybe it is not exactly what you have working at for the last decade. But now the economy is changing, and although it may be a little scary, it also can be exciting and challenging to walk into a solid, stable position. Jobs along light rail We have set up a unique search tool for you to locate job, keep an eye on a particular geographic area, or follow an industry. So what are you waiting for! Contact us to voice your opinion. We are here to provide opportunities to work. ...
by bryan | Jun 4, 2011 | Light Rail Business, light rail corridor, light rail expansion, News & Information
by Jim Walsh – Jun. 3, 2011 The Arizona Republic A new $20 million investment fund to jump-start transit-oriented development along the Metro light-rail line couldn’t come at a better time for Mesa as it prepares for an extension to Mesa Drive. Although the new Sustainable Communities Development Fund probably won’t be tapped until sometime this fall, four developers already have approached the Local Initiatives Support Corp. with potential projects, said Teresa Brice, executive director of LISC’s Phoenix office. “The timing is perfect for us,” Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said about the fund. “It’s what I call a statement investment. When they invest, others will follow.” Smith also said the city is completing the Central Main Street Plan, which will chart redevelopment along the light-rail extension scheduled to open in 2016. The plan calls for higher-density development to capitalize on light rail. Mike James, Mesa’s transit services director, said the fund could be used to help build affordable housing along the First Avenue corridor near downtown Mesa, or to replace trailer parks in poor condition along Main Street with better housing. “It provides opportunities for a whole range of people to live and work with transportation,” he said. “They don’t need to have a car.” Although light rail has generated plenty of ridership in Mesa, the economic impact has been muted. The line opened during the recession and extends only about a mile into the city. In contrast, Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said the light-rail line has lured $2.5 billion in investment and helped the city redevelop Apache Boulevard, a longtime trouble spot. LISC and the Raza Development Fund, with...
