Anyone else getting hyped up about the light-rail? (Phoenix, Tempe: real estate, rent)

[Finger Laker]

does AZ offer pre-tax metro passes? - i know if philly I could have the cost of my monthly pass deducted from my paycheck

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

does AZ offer pre-tax metro passes? - i know if philly I could have the cost of my monthly pass deducted from my paycheck

I'm not sure, but many employers give passes to employees for free.

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

I was looking at density levels and workforce estimates along the line and find it funny that people say it goes nowhere.

I know exactly what you mean! It kills me when I hear people say "It goes nowhere" and "It should have been built elsewhere"...yet they never back it up with specific areas.

First, it's a starter line. It's 20 miles long and actually the longest ever starter line built (if I remember correctly) Obviously 20 miles isn't enough to reach "everywhere"...that takes time.

Second, I think they placed it exactly where it was supposed to go. Downtown Phoenix is a given as you said, as is the Central Corridor...which together employ something like 90,000 people, not to mention there are more office buildings under construction that will bring thousands more to the area. Second, it goes by the airport (via transfer), which is a given. Then, it goes thru downtown Tempe, which itself is an employment hub as well as with ASU being there. I mean really...where better could you place it to hit key spots within the city?

[Finger Laker]

my main problem with the route isn't where it goes through, but where it ends - not sure the benefit of running it into christown - honestly, as it stands now I don't know a single person in my office who would use it and I work off central

it does open up some possibilities though and I can go to games without having to worry about paying for parking - so that is an uptick

[HX_Guy]

Finger Laker: That "problem" of Christown goes back to the whole starter line thing. It's only 20 miles long...what other option would they really have had?

I guess they could have ran it east on Camelback toward 24th St, but they probably wanted it to head west since it's coming from the south/east not to mention that once you hit the Phoenix Mountains Park and the Biltmore Golf Course...then what? It's not really an option to go in that direction.

[Finger Laker]

hitting that area would make sense, but in theory you could connect to bus line running down camelback

i'm not sure exactly where would be a good terminus (or starting point depending you POV.........) but it seems like it would make sense to stretch into a park & ride or something else that would alleviate freeway traffic from either the N or W

with the sprawl though it's definitely not an easy proposition

[HX_Guy]

Apparently they are building a Park and Ride location at the end of the line. This is kind of cool as it could definitely save a few bucks to take the car and park it at 19th and Bethany in the Park and Ride (free), then take the light rail to say a Suns game. This way, you'd save the $20 parking for the Suns and the gas money saved would pay for the light rail ticket, not too mention you might get in and out of the arena area quicker.

I also read that each station will have a ticket vending machine...I wonder if it will accept credit/debit cards or cash only? I have a feeling it will be cash only which is a shame because Im willing to bet more people would use it if it had the convenience of accepting cards.

[Finger Laker]

and they really don't touch the population centers that are hitting the metro - if you are coming in from anywhere in the N valley and have made it to bethany home/camelback you might as well take it all the way in

does anyone know if they are going to run express busses from more remote park and rides to the LR park and rides?

[HX_Guy]

I definitely see your point. Taking my situation for example...I live 19 miles away from the endpoint of the light rail system, which is only 6 more miles itself from downtown Phoenix (Central and Washington). Normally it wouldn't make sense to drive the 19 miles, only to park, and take a train for just 6 more. However, like I mentioned earlier...for a Suns game or other event downtown where parking might be $20-$30, then it may be worth it.

Another trip scenario would be from my house to Mill Ave. in Tempe...it's again 19 miles to the light rail station, but then I could take it for the 16 miles to Mill Ave, that would make it more worth it.

Really though, it comes back to the "starter line" argument again. They could have proposed a longer system, say another 10 miles to reach up into the northern parts of the city...but at a cost of an additional $700 Million. I'm betting they didn't want to risk it as the Val-Trans proposal got voted down in 1989 due to being "too expensive" and "too long".

[Finger Laker]

and I can see that as well