Metro Magazine, June 2017

In just 12 short years Ariz s Valley Metro Rail has gone from zero to 26 total miles of light rail beginning with the first 20 miles being completed in 2008 which serves downtown Phoenix and Tempe traveling east into Mesa Most recently the agency launched six additional miles three to the west and three to the east in 2016 The goals of the light rail system were to meet rider demand along a dense and well traveled corridor as well as support future growth and enhance the quality of life in the communities served by Valley Metro Rail explains Susan Tierney communications manager for the agency The plan to build light rail was met with excitement by many however there was concern over disruption to travel and business during construction she says of the initial phase of the build out Once the service began operations in December 2008 value to the region became apparent as it supported economic revitalization connections to education and employment and provided congestion relief Tierney adds ridership on the light rail system has exceeded expectations which has resulted in a strong momentum to advance the 66 miles of rail initially approved by voters in 2004 In August 2015 Phoenix voters approved Transportation 2050 allowing the advancement of extensions along with increasing bus service frequencies in Phoenix and hours of service to match Valley Metro Rail hours What has perhaps been the hugest impact of the light rail system though is the 9 billion of public and private investment that has taken place along the systems 26 miles Besides attracting commercial business retail restaurants and residential development the light rail system has helped bring mega events to the Valley such as the Super Bowl National College Football Championship and Final Four Basketball Championship says Tierney Additional projects in the works include a 19 mile light rail extension which began in October 2015 and will take the system further east into Mesa serving historic neighborhoods and local businesses as well as providing another regional transit connection for residents living in the East Valley That project as well as an additional project to build a new rail station that will serve Ability 360 an independent lifestyles resource facility in addition to surrounding businesses and cultural sites is set for 2019 In addition Valley Metro Rail is in the early phases of construction on the Tempe Streetcar project which is set to open in 2020 and will add three miles of service that will connect to the light rail system and has several projects in the works that will add an approximate 34 more miles of light rail by 2034 The future is very exciting We are in a mode of major expansion by adding lines to the system developing branding adding fleet and partnering with local cities to support future transit services in their communities says Tierney We have also been awarded a 1 million Mobility on Demand Sandbox grant from the FTA to enhance our current app with mobile ticketing and trip planning while working with key partners to provide real time travel information fare purchasing and optimized trip planning with bike share and ride hailing companies 34 mETRO mAGAZINE JUNE 2017 metro magazine com RAIL PROJECT FOCUS VALLEY METRO RAIL SPURRING GROWTH INVESTMENT ALONG CORRIDOR In just 12 short years Valley Metro has implemented 26 miles of light rail which has generated more than 9 billion of public and private investment along the corridor Valley Metro terests in the corridor as well as the surrounding neighborhoods Another unique aspect is that an operational reserve is being set up to essentially hand the streetcar system over to the Regional Transit Authority after 10 years M 1 expects its ridership to begin at about 5000 rides per day eventually growing to 8000 rides per day in the future During the first weekend of operation Lijana says the QLine provided 8300 rides per day The demand was overwhelmingly high and you saw a lot of people riding the full route which actually led to some overcrowding and a little longer headways than we expected he says That amount of interest so far is really a great sign Lijana adds that M 1 extended its free fare period to enable riders to test out the full route as well as take advantage of the system for upcoming special events including Tigers baseball games and festivals The agency also launched a transit education program to help passengers learn how to navigate the system and connect to bus service and other transportation options in the region