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News & ArtsThursday, March 26, 2009
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Light Rail where it belongs
Posted by Chicago Fan on Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 9:35 PM
So, I've spent the last two days in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area, a region built for and defined by cars. Everyplace is 30 minutes via expressway or huge arterial road from everyplace else, unless you're totally on the other side of town, then it's 60 minutes. Unless there's an accident or construction, which there always is. Having a good time nonetheless, going to Cactus League games, and eating at a great Mexican restaurant and hanging out with family and friends. But one highlight of the trip was this headline in today's Arizona Republic (and no, that paper's title is not missing an "an") :
Study: Put Light Rail On Downtown Mesa's Main Street
Main Street in Mesa, Arizona, home of the Cubs spring training complex and many a retiree (visit Arizona in your 40s and you will feel young again). Nice to see a town in a region dominated by cars doing it right—Main Street is not only the best place for such a train practically, it's also a symbolically important gesture of naming. Once upon a time, before mandatory car ownership, Main Street was Main Street because that was where the train stations were.
3
They'll find a way to screw it up, just like the placement of the initial line. There are almost zero park and ride lots, the train takes longer than a car, even in rush hour, and even though it passes by a large number of the bars in the area, it shuts down at 11pm. three hours before last call.
I'm one of the lucky few that lives directly on the line. Too bad it doesn't go anywhere near my office. (Okay, so I work in Scottsdale...) Sure, it goes downtown, but if you've ever lived in Phoenix, you know that with the exception of the bars, the rest of downtown shuts down at 5pm. Very few good restaurants, very few good places to mingle.
A few years back, I lived in Portland, OR. I loved the Max. It went everywhere I needed to go, and got there quickly. The new Phoenix Metro goes few places, and takes forever to get there. I live two stops over from the stop where you can pick up a shuttle to the airport. In my totally non-scientific study, it took me 30 minutes to get from my door to the terminal. I could have walked there in that time.
I'm one of the lucky few that lives directly on the line. Too bad it doesn't go anywhere near my office. (Okay, so I work in Scottsdale...) Sure, it goes downtown, but if you've ever lived in Phoenix, you know that with the exception of the bars, the rest of downtown shuts down at 5pm. Very few good restaurants, very few good places to mingle.
A few years back, I lived in Portland, OR. I loved the Max. It went everywhere I needed to go, and got there quickly. The new Phoenix Metro goes few places, and takes forever to get there. I live two stops over from the stop where you can pick up a shuttle to the airport. In my totally non-scientific study, it took me 30 minutes to get from my door to the terminal. I could have walked there in that time.
7
Yep, it really should have been called the Arizona Republican. Truth in advertising and all.
I love Phoenix, but agree that downtown is the shits. And you should be really, really thankful that you're there now and not a couple of months from now.
I love Phoenix, but agree that downtown is the shits. And you should be really, really thankful that you're there now and not a couple of months from now.
8
Seattle is the Capitol of Screwing the Pooch. The town jacks its stack for 10 years mumbling about how shitty transportation is here yet does nothing about it. Phoenix isn't the most gorgeous city, nor is it the Capitol of Cool Culture but people there take action. Although I'm wondering why no one there does anything about Joe Arpaio.
9
How can anyone say anything "belongs" in Arizona with a straight face? I've been lobbying for asylum for Stevie Nicks for years now.
Oh, and if you're really wanting to be all "OMG, autopia does right by rail", look into Salt Lake City.
Oh, and if you're really wanting to be all "OMG, autopia does right by rail", look into Salt Lake City.
10
9
Sad update.
After Dan declared a boycott of Utah (because California voters banned gay marriage; twice) the economy went strait down the toilet and they had to close the light rail.
Sad update.
After Dan declared a boycott of Utah (because California voters banned gay marriage; twice) the economy went strait down the toilet and they had to close the light rail.
11
@10: Another sad update! After your re-re-re-repeated comments, Dan Savage went into a shame spiral and took flying lessons at the Aurora Bridge.
All your persistence damaged his psyche. You are so powerful- use that power for good!
All your persistence damaged his psyche. You are so powerful- use that power for good!
12
Your "Main Street was Main Street because" argument is pure folly. In larger cities, the station was rarely on Main. Union Station is on Alameda in L.A., in Portland it's on Sixth and in Tacoma it was on Pacific. And in many smaller burgs, stations were often found on Depot Street or Railroad Street.
13
LMAO - Phoenix is gross. I lived there for 6 years and still own a condo there. Its a giant dust bowl that really does take forever to get anywhere. And there is so little culture that there really isnt anywhere youde like to go. Like a previous poster said, the light rail goes no where you wanna go (like scottsdale) and takes forever to get there. Who wants to go to mesa? Or gilbert? Or chandler? Massive desert suburbia. /GAG
15
@2, @8 - you are aware that there's a pretty nice start on a light rail system opening in Seattle this summer, right?
Now, you can say it took too long, or there was too much whining, or it doesn't directly serve your living room, or whatever, but that doesn't qualify as "doing nothing" or just "discussion."
Now, you can say it took too long, or there was too much whining, or it doesn't directly serve your living room, or whatever, but that doesn't qualify as "doing nothing" or just "discussion."
16
they haven't done anything on this Mesa line - planners told the city council they preferred LR after two years of study - the cc will study it for two months before voting - they will be building this on either a four lane urban highway or a two laner, i'm betting on the former, and the locals will only pay half the 70 million per mile whereas here we are building 700 million per mile segments that will be paid 65% by locals.
17
@15 - nope, and no amount of gold shovel pins I got at the UW LINK groundbreaking will convince me light rail is coming ...
but I am giving out free hang gliding lessons off the aurora bridge ...
but I am giving out free hang gliding lessons off the aurora bridge ...
19
Having just visited family in Mesa on Main Street, I learned that Main used to be called Apache Trail because it tracked an old Apache route through the Superstition Mountains. While there may be important meaning in the names of many Main streets, this one is merely the result of an effort to homogenize a formerly interesting moniker.
22
@3, 7: You're not kidding about the downtown. When I was in Phoenix for a conference, a German tourist who'd scouted ahead by bus reported that the only place open downtown on a Sunday afternoon was Hooters. So we went to Hooters.
23
Greg, Phoenix voters voted down an elevated system back in the late 80s or early 90s, I forget the exact year.
My take on it is they are establishing a route (Which follows a pre existing bus express route for most of its length in phoenix) which will create density near the line, and over time enough density for a truly high speed el or subway to work.
My take on it is they are establishing a route (Which follows a pre existing bus express route for most of its length in phoenix) which will create density near the line, and over time enough density for a truly high speed el or subway to work.
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