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Originally Posted by xymox
You're making the assumption that people with families want to live immediately around ASU/Tempe Town Lake. That's not the greatest place in the valley to live as a family of 4. Its designed for young professionals (single), but mostly college students. Its completely unappealing for anyone with a growing family. And these are (mostly) the people who are driving into the office buildings crammed in along the lake all on the same street at the same time by themselves.
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Please don't make assumptions about my assumptions. I've never said or implied that all people with families want to live right along Tempe Town Lake (although a few might if they were not incentivized to buy big houses by the mortgage interest deduction). Not everyone who works or studies in downtown Tempe has a family with young children, though. There are plenty of people who might enjoy living close to work if they could afford to do so. For those who prefer single family homes, there are plenty of good neighborhoods in Tempe and southern Scottsdale that are an easy bus or bike commute away. In addition, it's not necessary for 100% to live nearby to have a positive effect -- just more than do so now.
For those that still choose to live farther away, that's where parking costs come into play. Someone coming to Tempe from Apache Junction has to drive no matter what. With free parking, that person is almost certain to make the decision to drive all the way. With market-price parking, the same commuter may be more likely to split the difference by driving to a Mesa park-and-ride and taking the train from there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by muertecaza
Marina Heights I'm pretty sure actually does quite a bit toward staggering start/stop times to help manage commutes.
That said, I work right in downtown Tempe and even with everything--the new buildings, the construction--it's fine. I bike most days, and so don't even think about traffic. Though obviously not everyone can, lots of people that complain about traffic could pretty easily bike. And then even on days when I do drive, it's fine. I maybe spend 10-20 extra minutes in traffic. Even on Rio Salado. Not the end of the world.
I don't know, maybe I'm too old for this shit, but when the best the State Press article can muster is the horror of "sit[ting] in dread for no less than 20 minutes in the peak morning rush hours" on Rural, I have a hard time seeing the problem. 20 minute traffic delays during peak hours sounds like they're doing something right, not wrong. And if you feel "dread" at 20 minutes of traffic, I think the answer is don't work in a popular urban center, or find a means of getting there other than a car.
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Agreed. It never ceases to amaze me how people want major employers and urban amenities but somehow think that those features can coexist with long uncongested drives ending in free parking at the destination.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Obadno
They gotta build that commuter line  |
Commuter rail with a stop in Tempe would definitely help -- especially if it connected some East Valley exurbs (Queen Creek, San Tan Valley) beyond the reach of Valley Metro buses and light rail. In my ideal world, the Johnson family would decide to relinquish their final restaurant, Macayo's Depot Cantina, at the same time that the state and county got serious about establishing commuter rail. With those circumstances converging, passenger service could be restored at the old Tempe station with connections to Marina Heights and other points via the streetcar.
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