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June 22, 2009
Biggest First LRT
Phoenix has opened it's first light rail line (at 22 miles the longest initial segment in any American city) to rave reviews. Streetfilms has the visuals.
Posted by Chris Smith at 7:20 AM
Comments
June 22, 2009 11:33 PM
Jason Barbour Says:
They've also gutted bus service in Phoenix, with some (all?) bus service ending at 10 PM.
Something funny about it is the "Rider Alert" for it is all over the website... yet going to the actual page is blank. (at least for me)
www.valleymetro.org/bus/rider_alerts/index.htm?alert=188
Ah-ha... found a short write-up about it elsewhere:
www.evliving.com/2008/10/29/1597/valley-metro-bus-service/
This is all the while on the Valley Metro homepage, they're promoting extending light rail service until 2 AM on weekends! What good is that when there's no connecting service to where one actually lives?
June 23, 2009 12:24 AM
al m Says:
Buses are OUT, rail is in, LAND USE BABY, LAND USE..
BUSES ARE FOR LOSERS, LOSERS SHOULD DIE, THIS IS AMERICA BABY!
June 23, 2009 12:35 AM
al m Says:
What good is that when there's no connecting service to where one actually lives?
Huh? Only the LOSERS can't get there!!
The winners will drive their PRIUS'S to the station so they can get home!
Tell the losers to join the Army, go to IRAQ,fight and die for the winners!
How dare anybody live in the suburbs without a car!! What nerve these people have!
June 23, 2009 4:03 PM
eckeric Says:
The bus service cuts are related to cuts in sales tax revenues for the city of Phoenix. I found this link that had some information
http://www.valleymetro.org/bus/servicecuts
The main message that I took from that page was that this allowed City of Phoenix to save $7.4 million over the next 18 months. Also, the cuts are to routes that originate in phoenix.
2. If my bus routes starts outside Phoenix and travels into Phoenix, will my bus route be impacted?Possibly, but you need to check the schedules to be sure what time your route makes its first pick up in Phoenix. If it is after 5 a.m. or before 10 p.m., you should be okay unless your city also decides to make cuts.
Meanwhile the late night trains will cost $256,000:
So how can Metro afford late-night trains, you ask? Plan A is to seek federal grants, and Metro has a fair shot at them. Plan B is to use some of the savings that cities accrued when the feds paid back early and extra money for the construction of the 20-mile starter line. Owl trains will cost about $256,000 a year to run. The feds saved the region double that in interest payments.
Anyhow, I remember living in the valley in the 90s and not having weekend bus service. As bad as the cuts are, the bus system used to be a lot worse. When I drive up to Phoenix now I feel like I am in a different city.
