Quote:
Originally Posted by MiEncanto
Yes but it was also mostly empty when it was the end of the line.
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As I have stated before, the need for park-and-rides was overestimated when light rail was first built -- not because light rail isn't well utilized, but because more passengers connect to light rail via walking, bus, or bike than anticipated. Two decades ago, planners understandably feared that in a city too often stereotyped as a "car town" that light rail wouldn't work without abundant free parking in numerous locations. Fortunately, they were at least partially mistaken, and now redevelopment of underutilized park-and-rides therefore makes sense -- not only because the land can be used more productively, but also because putting more housing along light rail can increase ridership and decrease car dependency. That said, maintaining them at the termini and key locations where they can attract riders from different directions than where the tracks go still makes sense because even if they aren't full on a daily basis, they are very useful for special events. The Central/Camelback one was full last weekend during Fan Fusion, largely because it's the most proximate park-and-ride for the north central and northeastern parts of Phoenix.
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