A modified Pink Line serving Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and East Mesa (Phoenix: university, utilities)

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

At first I had the idea of two separate lines - a Brown Line going from Chandler Fashion Center to Frank Lloyd Wright via Rural/Scottsdale, and a Pink Line serving Chandler Fashion Center, Downtown Chandler, SanTan Village, ASU Poly, and Superstition Springs via Chandler Boulevard, Williams Field Road, and Power Road.

In this updated idea, combining the two routes into one single Pink Line might maximize ridership. At the same time, the combined route would be mostly outside of the undesirable areas, easing Scottsdale's concerns that light rail would bring the undesirables into their city, forcing them to make a connection from the existing light rail (which would be the Red Line in my system).

I realize you are obsessed with your dream plan, as shown by the many threads you've started, as well as posts in other threads, but really, it is just that, your "dream". And Scottsdale's aversion to "undesirables" is not the whole issue. I just don't think they want to see a light rail train running through Old Town on Scottsdale Road, or help pay to build it, or deal with the construction issues. And without the City's help, it's not going to happen.

[new2colo]

You don't build light rail to connect to malls. You build rail that goes by activity centers with permanence. Downtown Phoenix will be around indefinitely, as will downtown areas in Tempe and Mesa. ASU isn't like to shutter in the foreseeable future, either. Malls are popular and then often fade in popularity over time. There was a time when Thomas Mall, Metrocenter, Christown, Los Arcos, Park Central, and Fiesta malls were all popular. Now, they're either struggling, discount shopping centers, or torn down altogether. Imagine if millions of dollars had been spent putting rail lines to access those malls. It would've been a huge waste. Kierland and Fashion Square are popular today, but there's no telling what they'll be like even 10 years from now.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by observer53

I just don't think they want to see a light rail train running through Old Town on Scottsdale Road, or help pay to build it, or deal with the construction issues. And without the City's help, it's not going to happen.

None of the plans I heard thrown around had the light rail going through Old Town. The north bound train would split and go up Drinkwater, then back to Scottsdale Blvd. to Fashion Square and the south bound train would use Goldwater. While I would like to see it done, I'm not saying it will or it won't, maybe in 30 years when some millennials get onto the city council, but I feel using both Drinkwater and Goldwater would be the way to go.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Such a line would mostly be outside of the undesirable areas, which could ease some of Scottsdale's concerns of bringing in the undesirables by forcing them to make a connection. Perhaps Chandler and Gilbert residents may want an easy link into Scottsdale.

I think many people were too busy with their face in their palms because of this repeat thread and missed this arrogant comment. Way to show your class!

[Prickly Pear]

As much as I would like to see light rail serving the downtown Scottsdale area, it will not happen any time soon. The thing is is that even if all of the Scottsdale city council members was kicked out tomorrow, it would probably be replaced by more old people who feel the same. We should be realistic with the light rail, and implement it in the areas that it will PASS and it will be USEFUL.

Maybe if Scottsdale keeps fighting things like this, it will only encourage a denser Phoenix core, which is one thing Phoenix really needs instead of so much focus on the suburbs.

[Pink Jazz]

One thing that has bothered me somewhat is that some of the political correctness of my original system is eliminated. Brown was chosen for the line serving Scottsdale due to the lack of Hispanic areas. With the entire line now being Pink, the line would now serve one liberal city, Tempe. However, I would think the public would probably prefer their line to be Pink rather than Brown, since brown is the least favorite color of most people after all. At least four of the five cities served by the combined line (Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa) are either conservative or moderately conservative. Plus, the line still wouldn't serve Melrose (which would be served by the Red and Orange lines in my system), the unofficial gayborhood of the Valley.

[Bungle]

Do you actually go to public meetings and present your ideas or do you just have a living room full of maps and proposed line routes and colors plastered all over your walls with strings connecting various parts of the valley and at 2am you have a 'eureka' moment and exclaim 'I MUST POST THIS TO THE INTERNET!'?

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

One thing that has bothered me somewhat is that some of the political correctness of my original system is eliminated. Brown was chosen for the line serving Scottsdale due to the lack of Hispanic areas. With the entire line now being Pink, the line would now serve one liberal city, Tempe. However, I would think the public would probably prefer their line to be Pink rather than Brown, since brown is the least favorite color of most people after all. At least four of the five cities served by the combined line (Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa) are either conservative or moderately conservative. Plus, the line still wouldn't serve Melrose (which would be served by the Red and Orange lines in my system), the unofficial gayborhood of the Valley.

No one cares about the political correctness of your bizarre fantasy.

[sargeant79]

This guy... Where's the spliff-smoking emoji when you need it?

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

As much as I would like to see light rail serving the downtown Scottsdale area, it will not happen any time soon. The thing is is that even if all of the Scottsdale city council members was kicked out tomorrow, it would probably be replaced by more old people who feel the same. We should be realistic with the light rail, and implement it in the areas that it will PASS and it will be USEFUL.

Maybe if Scottsdale keeps fighting things like this, it will only encourage a denser Phoenix core, which is one thing Phoenix really needs instead of so much focus on the suburbs.

Age isn't really a factor in this instance.

Scottsdale officials don't want light rail in their pristine city because of the so-called undesirables who would use it to go there.

It doesn't matter that these same undesirables the city council wants to keep out can still access Scottsdale by way of busses, cabs, or the ever-growing popularity of Uber and Lyft.