Young Female Professional Moving to Phoenix (subletting, house, neighborhood)

[ReadyFreddy]

I took the light rail from where it starts in Mesa to the Central/Indian School area. It took 90 minutes. I don't think there was any problem. I think it took that long both directions. I drove nearly that route to work daily for years in 30 minutes.

I didn't dissuade the original poster or anyone else from using it. I said I personally wouldn't want to rely on it as my only means of getting around. And I mentioned for many people it's a great option.

I'll be sure to post only opinions on things I've done more than twice in Phoenix. Maybe that should be in the rules.

[observer53]

No rules on that! All I can tell you is that it does NOT regularly take anywhere NEAR ninety minutes, under normal operating speed (i.e., not the speeds they used the first weekend it operated ) The schedule bears that out. In the absence of a breakdown or an accident preventing the train from moving (and they have ways of getting around those in some areas, too), they run on time. So, there must have been an issue, whether you were aware of it or not. If you don't choose to rely on it based on that one experience (and I really doubt that it took that long both ways), that's your privilege. It's worth it to me to save the gas for my 38 mile commute by using the rail at least some of the time. With the traffic I encounter driving, there's often no difference in the time.

[ReadyFreddy]

The schedule does show that taking 55 mins. in rush hour so maybe they've tightened it up or maybe there was some delay I wasn't aware of. It wasn't opening weekend that I took it but it was within the first six months of it starting.

55 mins. isn't that bad. It'd probably take 40 in a car at 4pm.

Still, I wouldn't want to get around the city in it exclusively. Like most, I want the freedom of a car.

And I'd still opt to live in downtown Tempe if I worked at USAirways and wanted to live with no car. Even downtown Phoenix isn't walkable/mass transit friendly, if you ask me. The scale of this city is just too big for walking and the transit options are bare bones. You can probably engineer your life so you can live near a bus or light rail station and work near one, but how do you get everywhere else? Like shopping that you mentioned, too. I don't know if people really recognize how spread out things are until they live here.

[khuntrevor]

My walkscore is 71, eight blocks from IS LR in
Midtown. I would like to see some numbers from Tempe. Get Your Walk Score - A Walkability Score For Any Address

[ReadyFreddy]

Actually the whole trip one way is 65 minutes

Yeah, the 55 min. trip is getting off before it ends, at Central & Indian School.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

The schedule does show that taking 55 mins. in rush hour so maybe they've tightened it up or maybe there was some delay I wasn't aware of. It wasn't opening weekend that I took it but it was within the first six months of it starting.

55 mins. isn't that bad. It'd probably take 40 in a car at 4pm.

Still, I wouldn't want to get around the city in it exclusively. Like most, I want the freedom of a car.

And I'd still opt to live in downtown Tempe if I worked at USAirways and wanted to live with no car. Even downtown Phoenix isn't walkable/mass transit friendly, if you ask me. The scale of this city is just too big for walking and the transit options are bare bones. You can probably engineer your life so you can live near a bus or light rail station and work near one, but how do you get everywhere else? Like shopping that you mentioned, too. I don't know if people really recognize how spread out things are until they live here.

I like the freedom of a car too and it's kind of a necessity in a city like this.

But there are people who are unable to drive or own a car for different reasons like financial, health, or maybe even suspension or revocation of a license.

That's why reliable mass transit should always be an option in a large metropolitan area like this.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by FleeFree1

Hello!

I am going to be moving to Phoenix in the next month and will be working at the US Airways Center. I will not have a car, so I will be utilizing public transportation preferably lightrail.

I will be initially staying in a hotel until I have check stubs to show proof of employment/income coming in. The hotel I will be staying at is near a lightrail so travel will be good, but I'm looking into places to permanently move into. I was considering downtown, but I've read that the downtown area doesn't have much to do. Being a young professional and not knowing anyone in the area, I would like to be in an area where there are restaurants, bars, shopping, etc but is still lightrail accessible.

Are there any suggestions?

Thanks!

Downtown is very active during the daytime. The problem is that, even though there is more going on at night & on weekends now than there used to be, it can still be rather dead at times. Keep in mind, however, that many concerts and most pro sports events take place downtown ... so there will be lots of night time activity when those things occur. There are some pretty decent bars & restaurants, but shopping is pretty limited to Arizona Center and CityScape.

Also, there are more options to live downtown than before. There are now more lofts, apartments, and some highrise condos which didn't exist 10 years ago. You can also look a little further north in the Central Corridor area for some decent places to live, and you'll still be on the light rail.

[synapse]

I think you'd be fine with either downtown Tempe or downtown Phoenix. The light rail goes right to the US Airways Center from Tempe or you could be literally walking distance from downtown Phoenix. And downtown Phoenix has improved a lot in the last few years - many more restaurants, theaters, stores.

I'd wander around downtown Phoenix and Tempe and see which you prefer. Tempe would probably make more sense overall, though.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by synapse

I think you'd be fine with either downtown Tempe or downtown Phoenix. The light rail goes right to the US Airways Center from Tempe or you could be literally walking distance from downtown Phoenix. And downtown Phoenix has improved a lot in the last few years - many more restaurants, theaters, stores.

I'd wander around downtown Phoenix and Tempe and see which you prefer. Tempe would probably make more sense overall, though.

Tempe would be my second suggestion, especially for the better nightlife. The only thing is that Tempe around the Mill Avenue district is catered more to the ASU crowd ... so a professional might be more comfortable with downtown Phoenix, or perhaps Scottsdale. The drawback is Scottsdale doesn't have a light rail connection.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by synapse

I think you'd be fine with either downtown Tempe or downtown Phoenix. The light rail goes right to the US Airways Center from Tempe or you could be literally walking distance from downtown Phoenix. And downtown Phoenix has improved a lot in the last few years - many more restaurants, theaters, stores.

I'd wander around downtown Phoenix and Tempe and see which you prefer. Tempe would probably make more sense overall, though.

I agree.

Downtown has improved over the years, but the great thing about Phoenix is there are other hot spots for nightlife if downtown doesn't cut it.

Light rail has made it more convenient to choose between central Phoenix and Tempe without needing a car.