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-   -   Phoenix's light-rail trains set ridership record in April (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181481)

Don B. May 6, 2010 5:31 PM

Phoenix's light-rail trains set ridership record in April
 
http://www.azcentral.com/news/traffi....html#comments

Phoenix's light-rail trains set ridership record in April

May. 6, 2010 07:17 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com

The light-rail trains in metro Phoenix set a new monthly ridership record in April. Valley Metro, the region's mass transit agency, says the trains had more than 1.2 million boardings last month.

That's up from the previous monthly record of 1.16 million boardings in March. The trains had an average of nearly 45,000 daily boardings on weekdays in April.

--don

jaxg8r1 May 6, 2010 5:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don B. (Post 4828032)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/traffi....html#comments

Phoenix's light-rail trains set ridership record in April

May. 6, 2010 07:17 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com

The light-rail trains in metro Phoenix set a new monthly ridership record in April. Valley Metro, the region's mass transit agency, says the trains had more than 1.2 million boardings last month.

That's up from the previous monthly record of 1.16 million boardings in March. The trains had an average of nearly 45,000 daily boardings on weekdays in April.
--don

This system has the potential to change Phoenix probably more than anything else in the last 50 years....awesome news.

Busy Bee May 6, 2010 6:07 PM

swweeet

fflint May 6, 2010 6:19 PM

I'm liking the numbers

seaskyfan May 6, 2010 7:09 PM

Awesome - good for Phoenix!

Swede May 6, 2010 7:10 PM

Ridership keeps going up :)

Any local forumer feel like making a guesstimate of what it'll level out at? Or will there be expansions before this line reaches that level? Also, any service increases on this line likely as ridership goes up?

M II A II R II K May 6, 2010 7:25 PM

And maybe even prompt more midrise development and the cafes and the bistros along the routes.

cabotp May 6, 2010 8:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swede (Post 4828212)
Ridership keeps going up :)

Any local forumer feel like making a guesstimate of what it'll level out at? Or will there be expansions before this line reaches that level? Also, any service increases on this line likely as ridership goes up?

In theory if they build up the areas around the stations with TODs the ridership should continue to grow. Where it will stall is when there isn't any more people living along the line or in close proximity to the line.

The biggest success to any lrt or hrt system. Is how you redevelop the area around the stations after the fact. If a city just sits there and does nothing the line will be a waste. :)

mwadswor May 6, 2010 9:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swede (Post 4828212)
Ridership keeps going up :)

Any local forumer feel like making a guesstimate of what it'll level out at? Or will there be expansions before this line reaches that level? Also, any service increases on this line likely as ridership goes up?

Ridership on the initial line is going to keep going up for a while as more people get used to it and some projects around the line open up. It also helps that the line links the ASU Tempe campus and ASU downtown campus, and ASU is steadily increasing the size of it's downtown campus while concentrating some core classes in Tempe. Sucks for the students, but it helps light rail ridership as DT students have to get to Tempe for some classes :) Unfortunately, all the extensions except for maybe 2 shortish ones keep getting pushed back due to funding issues and service is going to decrease this summer for the same reason. Apparently it's not so brilliant to fund your line almost exclusively with sales tax revenue in a state with an extremely volatile economy :(

EDIT: ridership plummeted last summer, presumably due to weather and ASU being out of session. So ridership numbers are about to drop off a cliff again for a couple months or they'll be a significant improvement over last year if we even hold steady for the next couple months. Either way, the numbers will continue to rise through the fall.

mwadswor May 10, 2010 3:34 PM

More good news.

Quote:

Phoenix area light rail crashes drop sharply in 2010

Remember all those crashes involving Metro trains last year? The Valley’s light rail system averaged one a week in its first year. Two trains sustained severe damage and have been out of service for months.

There have only been seven crashes in all of 2010. All were relatively minor and all were caused by a motorist running a red light or turn arrow, according to Metro’s crash log. In four cases, police cited the motorist. Two crashes resulted in minor injuries. In one case, a motorist was treated on the scene. In other, the train operator complained of a sore back.

The most serious crash so far this year happened on March 18, when an 18-wheeled truck ran a red left turn arrow at the Interstate 10 underpass on Washington Street. Metro reported more than $15,000 in damage.

“I think people are getting more and more comfortable sharing the road with light rail. It’s a product of familiarity and of outreach,” Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose said.

Metro has spent $277,000 on advertising and educational materials to get its safety message out, though much of that was before this year, when the number of crashes remained high.

“We are pleased the number of crashes is coming down and hope that trend continues,” Foose said.


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