PHX Sky Train (Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale: schools, to move, food)

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by slackjaw

Saw in the paper they putting this thing thru test runs now, should be running early next year for the Washington -> East Economy -> Terminal 4 leg.

I think this will be a great addition to Sky Harbor. Phoenix has needed something like this for a long time ... and since light rail completely bypassed Sky Harbor, the SkyTrain should be the needed link to the light rail line. Maybe when the NIMBYs realize how successful these projects are, they will crawl back under their rocks where they belong ... or at least find something else to raise hell about.

[ReadyFreddy]

I thought the light rail went through the airport, or at least there appears to be a stop within easy shuttle bus range, on airport land?

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

I thought the light rail went through the airport, or at least there appears to be a stop within easy shuttle bus range, on airport land?

There is a stop at 44th St/Washington that today has a free shuttle and soon will have the SkyTrain. I have used it, it works fine.

[Finger Laker]

yeah - light rail will not be more linked in after the sky train than it is now ...... you'll still transfer from the light rail to another form of transportation

they are just replacing the dedicated airport bus with the sky train

[Ponderosa]

Another waste of money like light rail. At least this one is paid for by air travelers instead of the general taxpayer.

[Finger Laker]

yeah - i am enjoying the increased parking rates, the increased costs within the airport and the higher fares that this billion dollar boondoggle is putting through ...... nothing like spending a wad of cash and passing on those costs to build a system that is redundant to fix a problem that doesn't exist

but what is done is done.........

[ReadyFreddy]

I heard that major airports just keep doing expensive capital projects because they're incentivized to, from federal funds.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

I heard that major airports just keep doing expensive capital projects because they're incentivized to, from federal funds.

Airports and roads get massive subsidies , unlike public Transit and whats worse with Airports there often private....same with some roads so they shouldn't be getting subsidies or any cash.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Airports and roads get massive subsidies , unlike public Transit and whats worse with Airports there often private....same with some roads so they shouldn't be getting subsidies or any cash.

Thanks for sharing that, perhaps it is relevant in New Jersey. The airport that we are talking about here is owned by the city and the money for the SkyTrain comes from a fee on airline tickets.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Another waste of money like light rail. At least this one is paid for by air travelers instead of the general taxpayer.

That last sentence is all the more reason to be in favor of something like this. Not one nickel of tax money is funding SkyTrain ... unlike the many transit & freeway projects that suck up taxpayer money and keep getting delayed. Or worst of all, entitlements like public schools, SSI, WIC, AFDC, HUD, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., which are highly wasteful and didn't even get a chance to be voted on by the general public. At least light rail (even as costly as that endeavor has been) was put to a public vote & passed overwhelmingly in two different phases.