Public Transportation (Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe: relocate, travel, work)

[CodyW]

Okay - I know I've discussed it before:

But, we all know that WE will probably not benefit from the Metro light rail system unless we're traveling between points along Central. Well.. At least until the other lines are completed.

Taking the New Mexico RailRunner system into account - If it went where YOU were going, would you use commuter rail? Say, between Glendale and Tempe? Buckeye and Phoenix? Phoenix and Casa Grande?

Yes - I think we all realize that we LIKE the independence we get with auto travel.. But what about the ease of public transportation? Being able to just hop on a train, and read something on your way to work.

What say you? Would you use the system?

[diggitydot]

OMG, I would absolutely use it. I love lightrail and was pretty surprised that Phoenix didn't have one when we relocated here a couple years ago. I would have thought a community of this size would be ahead of puny little Portland, OR when it came to public transportation.

When I lived near Portland, OR I used the lightrail system all the time. But their MAX system is very safe, on time, exceptionally clean, and inexpensive. The only thing I would have changed about it was to have it closer to my home so I could use it more often.

[AksarbeN]

I’d like to use the new rail system if it was better located for my needs.

However I just don’t understand why they approved this system to be on ground level? A monorail elevated up over the streets and roads would have saved space on the surface and the congestion with the flow of auto traffic with the train.

What happened to all of the bus pullouts that were voted in? Will those who drive cars now have to try to get around the trains like they do with the bus? It was a mistake to have tracks at street level.

[CodyW]

Theres alot of construction for bus pullouts here in Glendale.. At least - I THINK thats what they're doing.

Dunno if its funded by prop.. what was it, 400?

And what my original post was about - Higher speed COMMUTER rail separated from the street - with more distance between stops. Would any of you use that system?

I hope one day we can have a decent public transit system.. Multi modal. Take a bus to a train station - get on the train, get off, hop on a light rail train, and there you are!