Will Scottsdale Ever Get Onboard With Light Rail? (Phoenix, Chandler: cost, buses)

[Shane73]

It's no secret why light rail didn't get built within the city of Scottsdale, mainly to keep undesirable out. Nonetheless it is an integral part of the metro area, being a large center, for dining, retail, nightlife, and entertainment in the Valley. Will there ever be a light rail line in south Scottsdale along Scottsdale Ave into Old Town, or even along the 101 for commuters? Perhaps for some, it might be nice to go out for an evening in Old Town, have a few drinks and ride the rails back to wherever else they need to go (downtown/Tempe/airport etc..) without having to drive.

[TempeAZnative]

I don't see a full light rail down Scottsdale Rd but I can see them doing a street car similar to what Tempe is doing that connects between the light rail stop on Rural to Old Town.

[Valley Native]

I always thought a light rail extension on east Camelback into downtown Scottsdale would be a great option, but I guess that's not going to happen ... unless it could still run on Camelback and connect with a streetcar line as TempeAZNative suggested. I'm not sure if Scottsdale balked against light rail to keep the undesirables out. If they really wanted to keep out the riff raff (which would be nearly impossible), they would have refused city buses as well ... so it's really more of a cost factor I believe. Light rail is very expensive, and not really needed in all areas.

[Pink Jazz]

I would think a light rail route from Chandler Fashion Center all the way north to Frank Lloyd Wright via Rural/Scottsdale Road would have ridership potential; the Brown Line in my dream light rail system would serve that route. However, it is unlikely that Scottsdale residents will change their stance on light rail, since as stated they don't want the undesirables in their city.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I always thought a light rail extension on east Camelback into downtown Scottsdale would be a great option, but I guess that's not going to happen ... unless it could still run on Camelback and connect with a streetcar line as TempeAZNative suggested. I'm not sure if Scottsdale balked against light rail to keep the undesirables out. If they really wanted to keep out the riff raff (which would be nearly impossible), they would have refused city buses as well ... so it's really more of a cost factor I believe. Light rail is very expensive, and not really needed in all areas.

A perfect line would actually go between Camelback / Central and Rural / Mill via Camelback, Scottsdale Rd, and Rural.

This would connect the Biltmore area, Downtown Scottsdale, and Downtown Tempe / ASU. Plus, there is already higher density development along this corridor. I highly doubt that light rail would be an effective expenditure north of Old Town.

[Ponderosa]

It had nothing to do with the "undesirables". Light rail is a very cost-inefficient way of moving people around - about the worst way imaginable from that perspective. It is done by cities like Phoenix for image reasons or in hopes of revitalizing decaying areas. Scottsdale does not need to burnish its brand and any economic benefits in restoring blighted areas are rather limited in Scottsdale as well.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

It had nothing to do with the "undesirables". Light rail is a very cost-inefficient way of moving people around - about the worst way imaginable from that perspective. It is done by cities like Phoenix for image reasons or in hopes of revitalizing decaying areas. Scottsdale does not need to burnish its brand and any economic benefits in restoring blighted areas are rather limited in Scottsdale as well.

I agree. The problem is it's astronomical to construct a "heavy" rail metro / subway system, so cities are all going either the "light rail" or even the smaller "streetcar" route.

What the metro area could use (although it wouldn't serve Scottsdale as there are no railroad lines in the city) is a decent commuter rail system using the existing railroad infrastructure.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

What the metro area could use (although it wouldn't serve Scottsdale as there are no railroad lines in the city) is a decent commuter rail system using the existing railroad infrastructure.

Existing railroad infrastructure may not be the best routes from a ridership perspective, which is why I favor light rail over commuter rail, since potential ridership is probably much higher due to the flexibility of routes. Commuter rail really only works for longer distance routes.

[new2colo]

No. Scottsdale has said that it is not interested. Unlike many of the areas where light rail traverse, Scottsdale Road is not full of blight or in need of special investment that officials hope light rail will bring. Most everyone who has business on Scottsdale Road has a car or can rely on the bus. It's just the truth. It would be more cost effective to increase service for a circulator bus between Old Town and Downtown Tempe.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by new2colo

No. Scottsdale has said that it is not interested. Unlike many of the areas where light rail traverse, Scottsdale Road is not full of blight or in need of special investment that officials hope light rail will bring. Most everyone who has business on Scottsdale Road has a car or can rely on the bus. It's just the truth. It would be more cost effective to increase service for a circulator bus between Old Town and Downtown Tempe.

There essentially was a circulator bus between Downtown Scottsdale and Downtown Tempe. It was route 66 and it ran every 30 minutes during the daytime hours. It was cut in 2010 due to the recession.

There is also the 72 that runs fairly frequently (every 20 minutes weekdays and 30 minutes Saturdays although on Sundays it's every 60 minutes) between the two cities' downtowns.

The problem is that buses don't tend to take people out of cars. Light rail and/or streetcars do.