Metro Phoenix Transit/Transportation Developments

[biggus diggus]

California screwed up big time, that was quite possibly the most ill advised route selection they could have come up with. 90% of your state's population is along the coast so build the train inland, right?

I agree with you fully, get the coaster linked to metrolink, square away the timing and efficiency and work on getting it upgraded to HSR. it was a mess.

[combusean]

I'm not really sure what CAHSR has to do with Phoenix.

[biggus diggus]

Some times discuss evolves.

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by combusean

I'm not really sure what CAHSR has to do with Phoenix.

Actually, it’s Brightline West, not CAHSR. Brightline West is only for Las Vegas from Victorville, CA. Later on, they will extended to Phoenix and Tucson.

[BA744PHX]

Originally Posted by N830MH

Actually, it’s Brightline West, not CAHSR. Brightline West is only for Las Vegas from Victorville, CA. Later on, they will extended to Phoenix and Tucson.

The quote for the Phoenix extension was from 2012, its likely it will never happen. IF (BIG IF) it was, you are looking at 20-30 years, and you need to consider the problems they are having still with linking Los Angeles to Las Vegas over the last decade

[prairieman]

I'm actually more interested in the proposed commuter rail between Tucson and Phoenix from a few years back. HSR is great, but a rail connection between the two largest metro areas in the state would be far more practical.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by prairieman

I'm actually more interested in the proposed commuter rail between Tucson and Phoenix from a few years back. HSR is great, but a rail connection between the two largest metro areas in the state would be far more practical.

Exactly. Somehow this discussion went down a rabbit hole involving HSR and maglev. The Amtrak map shown was mostly about conventional rail service. That should be a priority not only for Amtrak, but also for Arizona. A commitment from state leadership would almost certainly be needed to make a passenger rail connection between the two largest cities possible.

[combusean]

There is a state rail plan, and they did a good chunk of the studies they needed to put it to voters, but there appears to be no interest in funding it.

[Code5]

Originally Posted by prairieman

I'm actually more interested in the proposed commuter rail between Tucson and Phoenix from a few years back. HSR is great, but a rail connection between the two largest metro areas in the state would be far more practical.

Might I hop in this lovely conversation.

Yes, I too, am quite excited about the possibility of Amtrak returning service from Tucson to Downtown Phoenix.

I would hope they continue and have stops in Avondale, Goodyear and Buckeye, etc.

Coming from a south Chicago suburb, those railways were always useful when I wanted to head into downtown Chicago for an event, or a show, or to see family.

This sounds like it could be similar. My father currently lives in Tucson. I live right here in downtown with highrises cropping up in my backyard. (It's great btw, I hate nimbys.) This all reminds me of the Chicagoland area.

If my Father wanted to come and visit, instead of driving and wasting gas, sure it would take a little longer, but he could take a train instead and walk the rest of the way to my house. I've also got friends in Buckeye, if there was rail service there, they could take that into downtown as well instead of driving the hour commute on the I10. Less congestion. Thats a win in my books.

I think if people were educated on train usage, they would use it. Especially a train coming right into the heart of downtown Phoenix. Want to see a game at Chase Field? Or a show at Talking Stick Arena? Take the train so you don't have to worry about traffic, gas, even parking.

End of rant ������

[prairieman]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Exactly. Somehow this discussion went down a rabbit hole involving HSR and maglev. The Amtrak map shown was mostly about conventional rail service. That should be a priority not only for Amtrak, but also for Arizona. A commitment from state leadership would almost certainly be needed to make a passenger rail connection between the two largest cities possible.

Yeah, I forgot about that part. A Governor with no spine and a Legislature spending all their time and energy fighting senseless culture wars and pretending they were cheated out of an election they all won.

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by prairieman

Yeah, I forgot about that part. A Governor with no spine and a Legislature spending all their time and energy fighting senseless culture wars and pretending they were cheated out of an election they all won.

Wait it minutes!! Didn’t they cheating the election?? I can’t remember what exactly happened. Last time we didn’t vote for Doug Ducey out. We voted someone else. Something is not right.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Let's keep this on topic and not start diving this into politics please.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by prairieman

Yeah, I forgot about that part. A Governor with no spine and a Legislature spending all their time and energy fighting senseless culture wars and pretending they were cheated out of an election they all won.

While Ducey has shown no interest in advocating for state support of passenger rail, neither has Jan Brewer, Janet Napolitano, or any other recent governor. Likewise, Ducey's opponents in both 2014 and 2018 never brought up transportation issues. The closest we've come is when Scott Smith, now CEO of Valley Metro, unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in 2014. Maybe if we're lucky someone will make it an issue in 2022.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

While Ducey has shown no interest in advocating for state support of passenger rail, neither has Jan Brewer, Janet Napolitano, or any other recent governor. Likewise, Ducey's opponents in both 2014 and 2018 never brought up transportation issues. The closest we've come is when Scott Smith, now CEO of Valley Metro, unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in 2014. Maybe if we're lucky someone will make it an issue in 2022.

I think that THIS is my ticket to the Governor's Mansion.

Desert Ray 2022--YOUR Train Candidate!

CHOO-CHOO-CHOOSE ME!

[N830MH]

Hi all,

Here’s the news about this. I-11 will extending from Las Vegas to Phoenix. You will see extending bus and light rail, too.

The massive bill calls for a facelift to the nation’s roads, bridges and railways.
https://www.12news.com/mobile/articl...ZpdoZoUAh2HO5w

[combusean]

exit is right--I would expect the rightwing to be lukewarm at best (although Thayer Verschoor once liked it) but not even anyone in Phoenix or Tucson is taking commuter rail seriously. It seems like it's a non-starter without city leadership and if it's not part of the Prop 400 redux, it's never going to happen.

[exit2lef]

The proposed bike lanes, which the city nixed last year, throwing away federal money in the process, are not coming back. Instead, there is a more modest project being discussed:
https://www.phoenix.gov/streets/vanburen

[combusean]

Talk about pouring salt in an old wound. It's a damn shame a road diet couldn't have happened there.

[biggus diggus]

Not an ideal outcome but with Roosevelt and Washington/Jefferson both being bicycle thoroughfares it does seem a little redundant to turn VB into one as well.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Not an ideal outcome but with Roosevelt and Washington/Jefferson both being bicycle thoroughfares it does seem a little redundant to turn VB into one as well.

I'd turn that argument around and say that with the 202 half a mile to the north and with Washington/Jefferson just a few blocks to the south, there's simply no need for two lanes in each direction on Van Buren. A detour of a quarter or half a mile is a bigger inconvenience for someone on a bike than someone driving a car.