[Akatosh]

Well, I'll start the thread, hopefully more pictures will be added as the day progresses. =)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/3142646586_cd0ed24923_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/3141821859_e1b6a8e073_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/3141825697_9a61fd3ee8_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/3141830989_3b1d53b49e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/3141829715_a7b3582f54_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3141833593_5e4b7d5e8e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/3141836571_482fa0e551_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/3142664548_9979c2fc4e_b.jpg

[Buckeye Native 001]

Like I said in the Phoenix Transportation thread in the MW subforum, my brother and I went to the terminus at Mesa over by EVIT at around 1pm. At that point, the line to ride the trains was backed up to 3 hours. Never bothered to ride it, but I'll probably do so tomorrow.

[Akatosh]

Hehe, yeah, I was lucky to arrive at the Roosevelt & Central Station 30 minutes or so before 10:00 AM... so cold no one wanted to stand on the station, very few on there. But one hour later... packed wall to wall. Many people commented on the feeling of being back in Chicago/New York trains.

[combusean]

We started our day at 10:00 and got back 6.5 hours later ... Spent a lot of time in Tempe but there was so much going on across the line we couldn't hit any of the stuff NW of downtown Phoenix.

The waits exceeded 3 hours at the Sycamore station ... 4-5 was probably closer. It was unreal seeing so many pedestrians, so many people clogging the westbound platform at 3rd St and Mill around Tempe.

The trains got so much use today even the overflow shuttle buses were packed. I remember waiting at 44th St and the first two trains from there had no conceivable place to enter. I thought it was going to be crowded, but not unboardably crowded.

Here's hope it keeps up!

[smArTaLlone]

Way to go Phoenix. Looks great.

[HX_Guy]

It was a little bit too busy, sort of killed it for our group. They are estimating about 90,000 boarded today, but it could be an underestimate.

The trains are nice though...very very smooth and quiet. I'm going to check them out again in about a week when the crowds die down.

[AZ KID]

:tup: AWESOME DAY :tup:

Well I started out at Camelback and Central at 9:30 :).

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown009.jpg?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown006.jpg?t=1230428933

There were beautiful flowers and art at almost every station.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown005.jpg?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown001.jpg?t=1230427235

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown003.jpg?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown008.jpg?

At 10:07 the first light rail arrived and was already packed. Took it all the way to downtown tempe...

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown012.jpg?t=1230427366

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown016.jpg?

The curve in Downtown phoenix.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown026.jpg?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown030.jpg?

Over tempe town lake with downtown phoenix in the far background.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown034.jpg?

Got off at Veterans Way and College Ave.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown035.jpg?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown036.jpg?

Took an amazing tour of the tempe transportation center, hopefully a platinum leed building(Could be first in the US).


http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown040.jpg?t=1230428174

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown041.jpg?t=1230428229

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown048.jpg?t=1230428287

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown049.jpg?t=1230428330

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown051.jpg?t=1230428378

The roof...

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown056.jpg?t=1230428414

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown057.jpg?t=1230428464

Back in Downtown Phoenix...

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown060.jpg?t=1230428501

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown063.jpg?t=1230428572

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown084.jpg?t=1230428609

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown082.jpg?t=1230428648

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown083.jpg?t=1230428677

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown088.jpg?t=1230428709

AND THAT WAS....

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/asilman/light%20rail%20grand%20opening/downtown022.jpg?t=1230428742

Hope you all enjoyed!:)

[mersar]

Agreed. Looks very nice.

[vertex]

Great pics so far. I'm hearing reports that attendance topped 125K.

Trains are still packed as they pass thru Tempe, even at 7:00pm.

A proud day for Phoenix.

[Metro-One]

Amazing, when i was in Phoenix back in 2004 someone there was telling me that Phoenix was the largest city in the industrialized world without a mass transit (train) system. Well i guess that is no longer true! Could someone please post route maps of the new system? Is it just one or multiple lines that have been built?

[AZ KID]

It truly was and is amazing... Metro-One here is a link to the current line.http://www.valleymetro.org/images/uploads/METRO-starter-line.pdf and here is a link to the planned future lines.http://www.valleymetro.org/images/uploads/lightrail_maps/Future-Transit-Corridors.jpg

[Jayayess1190]

Amazing, when i was in Phoenix back in 2004 someone there was telling me that Phoenix was the largest city in the industrialized world without a mass transit (train) system. Well i guess that is no longer true! Could someone please post route maps of the new system? Is it just one or multiple lines that have been built?

One line now

Future extensions (http://www.valleymetro.org/metro_light_rail/future_extensions/)
Future route maps (http://www.valleymetro.org/metro_light_rail/downloads/maps/)

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3649/89818168xo4.th.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=89818168xo4.jpg)

[Metro-One]

Thanks! Very nice indeed, glad to see it going beside the airport. Are there any section below grade or elevated? It is great to see Phoenix have an LRT system, maybe this will help lead to some urban densification.

[mgmAZCO]

I grew up in the Valley and I'm so proud to see this day! The crowds in those photos are amazing. People seem enthused about the light rail, and I hope the ridership exceeds all expectations. Lets stop the sprawl and focus on infill! This is such a great day!!

[jamesinclair]

Does the system have demand doors?

How does payment work (outside of inauguration week)?

[Sekkle]

Thanks! Very nice indeed, glad to see it going beside the airport. Are there any section below grade or elevated? It is great to see Phoenix have an LRT system, maybe this will help lead to some urban densification.
All at-grade, mostly in the center of the street (with a few exceptions). A new LRT-only bridge was built to cross Tempe Town Lake.

Does the system have demand doors?

How does payment work (outside of inauguration week)?
"Demand doors" meaning press a button to open the door? Yes, from what I've heard that's how it is set up. Payment is a "proof-of-payment" system where you purchase a ticket at the station and fare inspectors will check tickets at random. $1.25 per ride/$2.50 for an all-day pass


PS - Thanks to all who posted pics. They look great!

[frinkprof]

Great to see. I like the stations and station art.

Can the stations handle longer consists? I'd read about some concerns regarding the in-street running portions and the possibility that it could be prone to collisions with vehicles (albeit probably mostly the fault of drivers). Does this hold any water? Now that supposedly Phoenix is now no longer the largest city without rail transit in the indusrialized world, who now wears this crown of shame? I would think Ottawa would be up there.

Anyway, turnout looks good from what I've seen and read, and thanks for the pictures. Keep them coming.

Congratulations Phoenix and good luck with light rail

[LMich]

I'm genuinely excited and happy for Metro Phoenix. Yesterday was a great day for transit in America, and what a great Christmas present for Phoenix-area citizens.

[PHX31]

This is a huge day for Phoenix and for myself personally. I worked in the field on the light rail during construction in 2005-2006. I remember in one of our offices there was a "countdown" clock that showed over 1,000 days until opening day. Back then I never thought it would open, but it finally did!

We walked (10-15ish minutes) to the Central/Encanto Station.

Waiting at 10:30:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010136.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010137.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010140.jpg

Some art at that station (native american inspired, being across from the Heard Museum):
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010135.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010139.jpg

First train FINALLY!
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010141.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010142.jpg

Took in the festivities downtown off the 3rd St/Jefferson station:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010152.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010151.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010150.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010149.jpg

One of the old Phoenix street trolleys was on display (it was cool to go inside of it - one of their representatives told me they hoped to restore it to be able to run it on the new METRO rail lines):
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010144.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010146.jpg

Off to Tempe:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010154.jpg

Going over the Tempe Town Lake bridge was one of the highlights:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010155.jpg

3rd St & Mill:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010157.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn20/azstate29/P1010159.jpg


All in all a great opening day. They needed those Japanese white gloved people shovers at the stops. Luckily the most trains I waited for was 2 before we were able to board at any stop... 3-5 hours is crazy to wait.

[SpongeG]

is this the first LRT line or was their already one and this is a new section?

[frinkprof]

^First. One of, if not the longest stretches of starter track for a light rail system (20 miles).

[SpongeG]

cool

looks nice

[PhxPavilion]

Nice pictures, thanks guys. I was unable to attend, plan to ride it tomorrow.

[Tempe_Duck]

is this the first LRT line or was their already one and this is a new section?

This is a brand new line. New extensions are planed but they are not scheduled to open for at least another 2 or 3 years.

[Kingofthehill]

About time...

Why no stop at the airport? American cities....

[combusean]

^ It does ... at 44th st is the stop for the interterminal shuttle bus which debuted yesterday (its no longer the rental car shuttle)

It will be upgraded to an automated people mover over the next several years.

[Don B.]

Running through the airport would have entailed another 4 to 7 stops with the accompanying delay, which commuters would have found untenable. I'm sure there were some engineering/cost issues with running the trains through Sky Harbor as well.

A very sleek system indeed. Hopefully I'll get to ride it today.

--don

[Don B.]

Today's front page of the Arizona Republic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Misc%20Items/IMG_9555.jpg

--don

[combusean]

Running through the airport would have entailed another 4 to 7 stops with the accompanying delay, which commuters would have found untenable. I'm sure there were some engineering/cost issues with running the trains through Sky Harbor as well.

A very sleek system indeed. Hopefully I'll get to ride it today.

--don

It becomes a semantics game. It goes "to" the airport, but not "through" so the majority of people think it does neither. :hell:

Today's front page of the Arizona Republic:

...

--don

Thanks for that photo Don ... I should probably pick up a copy for good measure and I especially like the collection of the Goldwater article, the Cards in the playoffs (who knew), and my personal favorite: Employers busted 0.

All discussions for other threads tho. :) The goodies handed out at the
festivals were pretty slick.

[PHX31]

/\ what all did you get?

We bought one of those mcfarlane t-shirts. bought some pretty cool screened t-shirts at the 3rd & Mill station. Then got a commemorative pin at the 3rd & Jefferson station.

We got another goodie bag, but I didn't look in it. I think it was just brochures and stuff.

[HX_Guy]

Couple cool pictures off Flickr...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3144968736_c654b60208_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/3144139889_0a75c68241_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3144140167_cf2a1f227a_b.jpg

[combusean]

^ Can you credit the source with a link next time?

Excellent shots PHX31 btw. I didn't get one showing near the density on the 3rd St station.

[frinkprof]

Can the stations handle longer consists?

I'd read about some concerns regarding the in-street running portions and the possibility that it could be prone to collisions with vehicles (albeit probably mostly the fault of drivers).

Does this hold any water? Now that supposedly Phoenix is now no longer the largest city without rail transit in the indusrialized world, who now wears this crown of shame? I would think Ottawa would be up there.
Thought I'd re-post these questions from the first page as they may have been overlooked. Can anyone answer these?

[glynnjamin]

Thought I'd re-post these questions from the first page as they may have been overlooked. Can anyone answer these?

The cross-street segments of the LRT are prone to crashes but only as much as any other portion not barricaded in (ie intersections). A good example is on 1st Ave, south of Monroe. The LRT goes from the east side of 1st Ave to the west side of 1st ave just as it crosses Monroe. The south-bound traffic on 1st Ave is stopped by a red light. The west-facing traffic is stopped by as red light (as are the ppl intending to turn left). The only real area for concern would be the people turning right onto 1st ave from Monroe (facing east). There is a giant NO RIGHT TURN sign above the intersection and, in all honesty, the train would be right in front of you, so you don't have much excuse to hit it. In any event, that area seems more prone to most of the other areas.

[combusean]

In theory the LRT is never supposed to share the same ROW with the cars at the same time. I mean that not in the sense of two objects occupying the same physical space resulting in a crash, but cars only cross the tracks, not drive on them like a surface tram. It depends really how you define "in street" because it's separated from traffic as much as it can be without elevating it or building a whole bunch of over/underpases.

The question of largest city without transit has been asked in the other thread started by Don B in this forum. I want to say Jacksonville but I am not sure--many lists I've seen in cursory google searches seem remotely authoritative on the subject are riddled with errors and inconsistencies, making them useless as a primary reference.

Still not sure what you mean by consists.

[frinkprof]

Still not sure what you mean by consists.
Train lengths. A consist of LRVs (light rail vehicles). In other words, what is the maximum number of LRVs or cars that can be run in one train, given the length of the platforms and other constraints (such as traction power).

[AZ KID]

I am pretty sure that the max is three cars.

[Mikemike]

What kind of trains are they? How long are the vehicles and what is the capacity? How many trains do they have, and how frequently do they run?

Looks really nice.

[TXLove]

Nice looking trains....Congrats Phoenix, you deserve this. I wish my city would have not defeated our light rail plan back in 2000.

[HooverDam]

What kind of trains are they?


Fancy Japanese ones that they're telling us are the fanciest in N. America. As far as specific make and model numbers, I don't know, but Im sure some Googling will reveal that info.



How long are the vehicles and what is the capacity?


Im not sure of their feet in length but they're about twice as long as a city bus. One train has 66 seats and can hold about 100 people I believe (though they were obviously holding more than that yesterday on crush loads).



How many trains do they have, and how frequently do they run?


I think I heard there are like 50 or so trains. They run every 10 minutes during business hours and every 20 in off peak hours.

[glynnjamin]

Don't have any written references but from a few Metro employees yesterday

there are 40 cars
each has a "crush capacity" of 200 people
They can actually handle 5 trains but the stations are built for a max of 3

[Sekkle]

What kind of trains are they? How long are the vehicles and what is the capacity? How many trains do they have, and how frequently do they run?

Looks really nice.

The cars are made by Kinkysharyo. According to their website (http://www.kinkisharyo-usa.com/vmr_phoenix.html), 36 cars were delivered. I believe Seattle's Link light rail (opening in 2009) will use the same cars.

[Cirrus]

Congrats, Phoenix.

[Tempe_Duck]

The cars are made by Kinkysharyo. According to their website (http://www.kinkisharyo-usa.com/vmr_phoenix.html), 36 cars were delivered. I believe Seattle's Link light rail (opening in 2009) will use the same cars.

If you look at their web site it states that METRO's contract called for 36 cars. When you look at the chart below the image is states 50 vehicles. So which is it 36 or 50?

[HX_Guy]

I remember a news article that said 50 cars.

[PhxPavilion]

The original contract was for 36. They may have ordered more.

[silverbear]

Now that supposedly Phoenix is now no longer the largest city without rail transit in the indusrialized world, who now wears this crown of shame? I would think Ottawa would be up there.


Answering only in terms of the United States, I'd guess the following:

largest city without rail transit -- San Antonio
largest metro area without rail transit -- Detroit

[silverbear]

Two observations based on my experiences Saturday (as a passenger on one of the packed trains) and Sunday (as a volunteer ambassador at the Central / Camelback station):

First, it's gratifying to see the number of posts in this thread from well wishers in other cities. Phoenix often gets bashed in urbanist circles -- sometimes with justification, but more often just because it has been unfairly made into a poster child for trends that are national, maybe even international, in scope. It is therefore a pleasure to hear some kudos for an urban transit project our city has executed quite well. Phoenix may be latecomer to the modern era of rail transit, but an ambitious 20-mile starter line is a good effort to make up for lost time.

Second, I was delighted not only by the number of people I saw on the trains, but also by the number of people I saw on the street. Even if many were simply walking between their parked cars and the nearest station, the presence of that many people along the sidewalks really gave the city a sense of urban vitality. Some people were doing more than just walking to and from the train, though. Maizie's Cafe on Central just south of Camelback was packed on Saturday, and on Sunday, a group of Palestinians were protesting against Israeli actions at Central and Camelback. Agree or disagree with their agenda, it was nice to see a large, non-violent expression of political sentiment mixing in with the street life. Obviously, not every day is going to be like this -- particularly in the hot summer -- but it was inspiring to behold this weekend.

[Sekkle]

Answering only in terms of the United States, I'd guess the following:

largest city without rail transit -- San Antonio
largest metro area without rail transit -- Detroit

Detroit has a people mover in downtown. Both cities also have Amtrak service, which Phoenix doesn't. I realize that's not exactly "transit", but I wonder what's the new largest city or metro with no rail transit whatsoever. Anyone know?

[silverbear]

Detroit has a people mover in downtown. Both cities also have Amtrak service, which Phoenix doesn't. I realize that's not exactly "transit", but I wonder what's the new largest city or metro with no rail transit whatsoever. Anyone know?

That's right. I'd forgotten about the DPM. Technically, it counts, although it's so small as to be of little consequence in commuting. It could be argued that the Phoenix Metro Area has Amtrak service since the trains stop in Maricopa, an exurb on the southern fringe of the Phoenix Metro Area. Nevertheless, I see your point.

[J. Will]

It's a shame it only runs every 10 minutes peak and every 20 minutes off-peak. Are there plans to improve that? I think they'd be better off with shorter ("streetcar-style") trains running every 5 minutes than longer ones running every 10 minutes.

I guess it's a start, if nothing else.

[nickkoto]

:previous:

Are you serious? This is a city where buses usually come every 30 minutes. I don't think an extra 5 minutes for the next train is a big deal for most of us.

Besides, there are probably a few spots (like downtown or the 3x street crossing in the University/Rural vicinity) where the automobile capacity would be completely crippled if the trains were coming twice as often.

[J. Will]

Besides, there are probably a few spots (like downtown or the 3x street crossing in the University/Rural vicinity) where the automobile capacity would be completely crippled if the trains were coming twice as often.

And god knows we wouldn't want that.

I wouldn't want to wait 19+ minutes for a train off-peak because I saw that one had just pulled away when I arrived at the station, especially in the summer when it's 100+ degrees outside.

[HooverDam]

Ok so I finally got my pictures upload in the right size, so onto the show:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0001.jpg?t=1230540862
I arrived at 9am an hour before opening and saw the trains glistening in the 35 degree sun

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0002.jpg?t=1230540907
Another set of trains waited behind the first pair, to keep the line moving. Though when I arrived, the line wasn't very long.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0005.jpg?t=1230540955
For some reason KITT was there

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0014.jpg?t=1230540965
Clowns and portable toilets, they go together if you think about it.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0015.jpg?t=1230541002
Lots of vendors were serving up tasty treats

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0028.jpg?t=1230541009
This guy won the award for "Best Facial Expression of the Day"

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0037.jpg?t=1230541049
By the time my family arrived at 10:15, the line had become insane. That line continued back behind those tents, folding over on itself 3 more times. It took us just under 3 hours to board.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0043.jpg?t=1230541110
Cold and bored my sister decides to reenact THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0044.jpg?t=1230541119
My family gets in line

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0049.jpg?t=1230541159
This man was an early candidate for "Best Facial Hair of the Day"

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0051.jpg?t=1230541184
But was promptly defeated when I saw this man.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0052.jpg?t=1230541217
Hey look, we're getting close!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0065.jpg?t=1230541226
We were the first ones on our train and sat in the back, which we latter regretted as it made getting off at our stop nearly impossible. But we did get to see these fancy controls.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0080.jpg?t=1230541253
The train takes its first turn

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0088.jpg?t=1230541287
The train was packed. I was surprised how pleasant smelling it was given the mass of humanity, I thank the fine denizens of Phoenix's for showering that morning.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0089.jpg?t=1230541304
You may say to the Banana people "Why are you dressed as a Banana at a rail opening?" and they'd surely reply "why aren't you?"

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0091.jpg?t=1230541352
Camelback Mountain pokes its head out in the background, in the foreground we see the art of the Central & Camelback station in front of the M&I bank building.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0098.jpg?t=1230541393
Whizzing by the beautiful Brophy Prep

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0104.jpg?t=1230541428
Nearing the Indian School Rd station, Don B's law school is in that building, if you want to stalk him (he has some very dandy shorts).

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0116.jpg?t=1230541478
My moms hair sits in front of a packed train, hey look, she's lice free- hooray!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0117.jpg?t=1230541487
Trains whiz by at the station

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0125.jpg?t=1230541540
In front of the Heard Museum Indian Hoop dancers entertained the crowd.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0132.jpg?t=1230541567
We go by Phoenix's lovely modernist Central Library

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0139.jpg?t=1230541594
Our first view of the downtown core

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0154.jpg?t=1230541623
The train passes by the Phelps Dodge building (and the BofA building in the distance)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0217.jpg?t=1230541651
One of the stations had bolo tie art. The bolo tie is Arizona's official state neckwear, its now New Mexicos as well, but they copied us.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0221.jpg?t=1230541683
The idea of letting people off before boarding seemed new to some folks, but we'll get the hang of it.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0224.jpg?t=1230541718
This man seemed to look into my soul and not approve, ah well.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0231.jpg?t=1230541740
A historic Phoenix Street Railway car. Their slogan was "Ride a Mile and Smile the While", which the host of the exhibit told me they tried to give to Metro, but Metro chose "Your Life on Track" instead. Do people have no sense of style or history anymore?

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0234.jpg?t=1230541749
Inside the historic trolley

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0240.jpg?t=1230541831
Downtown, with a bit of US Airways Center on the left (home of the Phx Suns, Mercury, Roadrunners and Arizona Rattlers)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0259.jpg?t=1230541877
The train turns in front of the historic Luhrs complex

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0267.jpg?t=1230541885
The train pulls into the 1st avenue station

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0269.jpg?t=1230541906
Another packed train

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0273.jpg?t=1230541923
Zooming by Chase Field (home of the Arizona Diamondbacks)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0278.jpg?t=1230541933
An underdeveloped slum area in East-Central Phoenix, hopefully the rail will encourage infill development in this area.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0290.jpg?t=1230541982
Under construction is the Automated People Mover which will meet up with the Light Rail at 44th St and Washington to take you to the Airport, currently a shuttle bus does the job.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0301.jpg?t=1230542028
The sun begins to set over the south mountains

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0305.jpg?t=1230542037
Crossing Tempe Town Lake, we see the Tempe Arts Center in the distance.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0308.jpg?t=1230542074
Tempes Hayden Flour Mill (for which Mill Avenue gets its name) and Hayden Butte, a.k.a. "A Mountain"

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0312.jpg?t=1230542109
Even more people cram on in Tempe

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0319.jpg?t=1230542131
Sun Devil Stadium and my dashing reflection

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0329.jpg?t=1230542153
The guy in the background came in 3rd place in the facial hair contest

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0335.jpg?t=1230542163
The back end was packed too

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0336.jpg?t=1230542193
Self portrait (I don't know who the girl in the hat is).

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0337.jpg?t=1230542201
As we pull into the last station, the train has thinned out, no one wanted to go to Mesa I guess since "Grand Funk Railroad" was done playing.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0344.jpg?t=1230542253
Hooray we made it to the end and no one got dysentery!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0345.jpg?t=1230542293
Some art at the Mesa station.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0349.jpg?t=1230542314
The empty train in Mesa

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0351.jpg?t=1230542477
The empty train and station

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0355.jpg?t=1230542477
Back in Christown, the train sits quietly before it takes off once more for the night.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed, it was a historic and incredible day for Phoenix, one Im sure I'll never forget.

[Metro-One]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/HooverDam/small%20lrt%20opening/DSC_0028.jpg?t=1230541009
:previous: Is this a child interviewing him? :D

looking good Phoenix.

[The Dirt]

Go Phoempesa Light Rail!

[atlantaguy]

Congrats Phoenix! I am SO happy for you guys, and it looks like a roaring success.

Question - I am familiar with Christown from previous visits a while ago. Back then, it sort of had the feel of a mall that was beginning to fade. What is there now?

[jedikermit]

Congrats PHX--about half of my wife's family is down there, and it's great to see light rail come to town. Nice looking cars, and it looks like a good first line--can't wait to see it in person myself. Way to go!

[Cirrus]

The largest metro area without rail transit of any kind is either Cincinnati or Orlando, depending on whether you want MSA or CSA. Both those cities, however, DO have Amtrak.

Columbus, Ohio is the largest metro area without rail transit of any kind AND without Amtrak.

Cincinnati and Columbus, both atop the list. Bad show, Ohio :(

[mhays]

Las Vegas has a monorail.

So much is gray areas.

Seattle for example has always had a 1.3(?) mile monorail from the CBD to the Seattle Center (62 fair site), and for years had a trolley along the waterfront until it lost its barn site a few years ago (might come back), plus we have three subway lines at the airport, and of course Amtrak, but none of that comprised "rail transit" in a major way. Now Seattle and Tacoma each have new short-distance streetcar lines, but that still doesn't count. Our 60 miles or so of new commuter rail does count but that's only for commute times.

[silverbear]

Congrats Phoenix! I am SO happy for you guys, and it looks like a roaring success.

Question - I am familiar with Christown from previous visits a while ago. Back then, it sort of had the feel of a mall that was beginning to fade. What is there now?

It has rebounded slightly. It's still not an upscale area by any means; in fact, a lot of people will stereotype it as "ghetto," even though it's not a real ghetto at all. I consider Christown more dull than dangerous. I don't fear for my life there, but there aren't many good places to eat or get a drink in that area.

The west side of the Christown mall is where the light rail station and transit center are located. Adjacent to the transit center, there is a big new Super Target store, which has become popular. That store is the main reason I go to Christown. The only downside is that the Super T was built in classic suburban style with surface parking in front. It should have been built right up against the street with a garage for use by both Target shoppers and light rail commuters.

[arkhitektor]

Cincinnati and Columbus, both atop the list. Bad show, Ohio :(
Does Cleveland have anything?

Oh, and congrats, Phoenix!
I saw a rather positive article about the grand opening in our local paper yesterday. (Ogden Standard-Examiner)

[alexjon]

Oh, Christown, the memories.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Does Cleveland have anything?

RTA, which I believe is both subway and light rail.

[ThreeHundred]

Detroit doesn't have anything.

[Don B.]

My pics from last night:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9583copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9582copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9581copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9580copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9579copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9578copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9577copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9576copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9575copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9574copy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9573copy.jpg

--don

[HooverDam]

Congrats Phoenix! I am SO happy for you guys, and it looks like a roaring success.

Question - I am familiar with Christown from previous visits a while ago. Back then, it sort of had the feel of a mall that was beginning to fade. What is there now?

That mall was going down hill fast, as all malls are. It seems to me malls and department stores, are a thing of the past. They redid the mall and it now is anchored by a Costco, a Walmart and a Target, so its certainly marketing itself to a more working class crowd, which makes sense because thats what the neighborhood is. Sadly, they missed a huge opportunity to just knock it over, re-impose the street system onto the area and make a great TOD, ah well.

EDIT: Beaten like the red headed step child that I am.

[Metro-One]

OK, i had to do some snooping. For those who care to know the station platform lengths are 91 meters long. And since they say the stations can handle a max of 3 cars at a time i am guessing the cars are roughly 30 meters long each.

[MayDay]

RTA, which I believe is both subway and light rail.

RTA's transit services include light rail, heavy-rail (most of it is below-grade but not technically underground - first in the western hemisphere to connect an international airport with a CBD) and BRT.

And congrats, Phoenix - I might actually try the new service during my next visit :tup:

[1Post2]

Looking good, Phoenix.

A little late in the game, but not only is your starter line quite long, but it actually travels directly along Central Ave and other major streets. In Denver, our lines mostly travel along old railroad corridors adjacent to our urban areas, which makes the system cheaper and more bearable during construction but ultimately less useful to our citizens. Plus, we've built three lines since and we still don't have a connection to the airport. (Soon...)

[Cirrus]

Detroit has its downtown elevated people mover. It's very small, but it is something.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2273/2224539612_b998800f8c.jpg
Detroit people mover photo courtesy flickr user rtfagan (http://flickr.com/photos/9084830@N06/2224539612/).

[alexjon]

Around 2,000 riders per mile on the DPM, which is good

[SpongeG]

The idea of letting people off before boarding seemed new to some folks, but we'll get the hang of it..


I don't think that will ever happen - we have had the skytrain in Vancouver for decades and people still won't let people off the train as they push their way on

just rude

[alexjon]

People on MAX wait about 5 seconds before bum-rushing the door.

[Westsidelife]

Congrats, Phoenix! :cheers:

It's nice to see Phoenix aggressively implementing and expanding light rail to serve all areas of Maricopa County. Hopefully, this will lead to more transit-oriented developments and the building up of Downtown Phoenix.

[pbenjamin]

I volunteered at the Central/Encanto stop on the first morning and had a small camera in my pocket.

The official opening time:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3141439201_ddd3fd6054_b.jpg

First train rolls in at 10:09
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/3142268276_c25ecaf0cd_b.jpg

Passengers on first train (with view of photographer)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/3141440189_084eb9b092_b.jpg

[SpongeG]

lol that guy looks like he is holding on for his life

[Don B.]

Went again tonight and the trains were really packed, felt like sardines in a can. I was getting a rash from the enormously fat Indian standing with his front up against my butt. It got hot and standing for an hour (rode from one end to the other) was not exactly my idea of fun. More pics to come later.

Still a few bugs to be worked out:

Camelback (referring to the street in Phoenix, as well as the namesake mountain right in the middle of the city) is one word, not two.

Downtown, the stations are on 1st Avenue, not 1st Street.

One of the stations wasn't announced at all.

I'm surprised the train operators or sensors in the roadway don't give right of way to the trains automatically.

Sometimes, the doors close, then re-open again for no apparent reason.

The train sits too long at some stations.

There is not enough shade cover for the hot summer months. This will be an issue this summer - mark my words.

Overall, these are very minor quibbles with otherwise an amazing system.

--don

[WestCoast]

phx with something sustainable ..... Light Rail......

what year is it? Is it 2050 yet?!


Congrats guys, please make solar power a requirement for new construction and heck, that might actually be a resonable place for a city to be all of a sudden.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Now if only we can get lines traversing I-10 in the West Valley and a connection to Westgate/UofP Stadium/Jobing.com Arena

[silverbear]

I got off the train at 44th St. / Washington this morning on my commute to work. I was pleasantly surprised to see half a dozen people with wheeled luggage making their way across the street to pick up the airport interterminal shuttle. The airport connection seems to be catching on, debunking the "doesn't go the airport" nonsense heard from light rail critics.

[Buckeye Native 001]

When's the tram supposed to open?

By the way, kudos to whoever's in charge of building that now. The stupidest thing I've ever seen was the three dollar shuttle that takes you from Oakland's airport to that crappy BART station near the Coliseum. Apparently they're just now building a tram connection from the airport to BART, and anyone unfortunate enough to use the shuttle at rush hour knows how long it can take to get from the station to the airport.

[silverbear]

When's the tram supposed to open?

By the way, kudos to whoever's in charge of building that now. The stupidest thing I've ever seen was the three dollar shuttle that takes you from Oakland's airport to that crappy BART station near the Coliseum. Apparently they're just now building a tram connection from the airport to BART, and anyone unfortunate enough to use the shuttle at rush hour knows how long it can take to get from the station to the airport.

If you mean the Airport People Mover, it's expected to be built in two phases:

Phase 1 -- 44th St. / Washington to Terminal 4 -- 2013
Phase 2 -- Terminal 4 to rental car center -- 2020

The project is on a list of "shovel-ready" projects that local leaders have prioritized for federal stimulus money, so it may be sped up if the Obama administration sends some funds this way.

Fortunately, the current interminal bus is free and interacts only minimally with city traffic, so delays should be very rare.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Correction to my above post: The BART station near the Coliseum in Oakland is not crappy, but the neighborhood surrounding the station is.

Also, I hate the A's and Raiders. ;)

[HX_Guy]

I got off the train at 44th St. / Washington this morning on my commute to work. I was pleasantly surprised to see half a dozen people with wheeled luggage making their way across the street to pick up the airport interterminal shuttle. The airport connection seems to be catching on, debunking the "doesn't go the airport" nonsense heard from light rail critics.

I never understood the complaint that " it doesn't go to the airport". Do people really expect to be spoon fed like that? It does go to the airport via one transfer...that is very common and I've done that in many cities.

[silverbear]

I never understood the complaint that " it doesn't go to the airport". Do people really expect to be spoon fed like that? It does go to the airport via one transfer...that is very common and I've done that in many cities.


Exactly. What a lot of complainers don't understand is the difference between direct and indirect air-to-rail connections.

Direct connections, in which the train pulls right into the terminal, generally exist at airports that are at the end of the rail line. Examples: PHL, ATL, CLE, ORD, and BWI

Indirect connections, in which a train stops at the periphery at the airport and passengers then take an internal bus or train to the terminal, generally exist at airports that are along a rail line, but not the last stop. Examples: BOS, DFW, MSP, and now PHX

What Phoenix has done is consistent with national patterns, taking into account the Airport's position at the mid-point of the line rather than at its end.

[billpa]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/don85259/Phoenix/Light%20Rail/IMG_9576copy.jpg


This photo is funny to me..:) ..that guy looks like he's so bored, as if he's taken this train 5-thousand :previous: times and he just can't wait to get home. Looks like people you might see on an old subway system in the east!

[HooverDam]

phx with something sustainable ..... Light Rail......

what year is it? Is it 2050 yet?!


Congrats guys, please make solar power a requirement for new construction and heck, that might actually be a resonable place for a city to be all of a sudden.

Thanks for this completely arrogant and ignorant post. Phoenix does a lot of sustainable things, our huge new Convention Center for instance is LEED Silver certified, the Tempe transit center which is applying for LEED Platinum certification and we have a long history of architecture specially designed to deal with the desert going back to Frank Lloyd Wright. I know that folks like Kunstler think Phoenix is in some insane place where a city shouldn't have been built, but that really makes little to no sense. Phoenix sits on a large river, like many cities, and human life sprung forth in DESERTS not in colder than witches titties woodlands.


Now if only we can get lines traversing I-10 in the West Valley and a connection to Westgate/UofP Stadium/Jobing.com Arena

Thats the plan and boy o boy is it a bad one. You really want LRT on the I-10 traveling 10 to 20 miles an hour slower than traffic for 80% of the day? Putting the train down the middle of the highway will lead to it being only used for commuters, it won't spur any TOD and it'll totally bypass Maryvale and the near west side which could desperately use the redevelopment. It ought to run down Thomas west, before turning south to McDowell to serve the Cricket Pavillion/Desert Sky Mall area, and have North/South legs on 51st Ave (to connect with central Maryvale and Downtown Glendale) and 91st ave (to connect to Westgate, downtown Peoria, and Arrowhead/the sports complex).

[Buckeye Native 001]

Trouble is, this city can't really afford to invest in projects like redeveloping Maryvale if they want riders using the train to get to/from work. If Valley Metro really wants commuters using the light rail, park and rides into the cities from the suburbs are the safest bet, especially in this economy.

I'm usually all for redevelopment and TOD, but with I-10 in the West Valley being an absolute clusterfuck (with or without construction) during rush hour, function really ought to take precedence over redevelopment at this point in time. Yeah it sucks that this place is so spread out, but I'd rather leave my car at a park-and-ride ten minutes from my house and use the light rail the rest of the way rather than spending an hour or two on a clogged freeway, and I don't even live in the West Valley.

Lets not forget that one of the biggest complaints from the media and out-of-town visitors during the Super Bowl was the lack of effective mass transit from Downtown Phoenix to Westgate.

[HooverDam]

^Why can't we have both? The I-10 median is already set aside for transit, so lets be smart about it. Why waste billions putting rail there when it'll only be used for 4 hours a top, max, and instead lets make it dedicated lanes for Rapid buses. That seems like a far more efficient use of funds. Then in the future when commuter rail happens (I feel its a 'when' situation, not 'if') it can run on the existing rail lines that are half a mile south of Van Buren. If between the commuter rail lines and the LRT on Thomas the Rapid busses become unneeded they could re-stripe the I-10 and turn them into carpool lanes and make the old carpool lanes additional normal lanes.

[Buckeye Native 001]

I'm for it, but is there money for both? Seems like we should fix what we messed up first (sprawling outward to the fringes of Maricopa County and the commutes that came with it) and then focus on intercity redevelopment and TOD. The system is still in its infancy and once they start charging to ride, I'm curious to see how many people really take advantage of the trains to navigate around the city for everything from sporting events downtown, visiting museums, traveling to the airport, spending an afternoon in Tempe and likewise.

Hell, in a perfect world Grand Avenue would be refurbished and restored to prominence as one of the city's "main" streets with LRT running up and down the middle a la what we're seeing on Central from Washington/Jefferson to Camelback.

[Gordo]

Congrats, Phoenix. :) The line looks great...much better than the steaming pile of shit that my fair city built a few years ago that still manages to be slower than the bus that it replaced (and with lower ridership too! Yay!)

[HX_Guy]

^Why can't we have both? The I-10 median is already set aside for transit, so lets be smart about it. Why waste billions putting rail there when it'll only be used for 4 hours a top, max, and instead lets make it dedicated lanes for Rapid buses.

That is one of the options they are looking at, dedicated Bus Rapid Transit down the median of I-10. It may be the best way to go as you said with it only really being used for the morning and evening rush hours, but I don't think it will attract nearly as many people in the off hours. I don't know what it is, but light rail just has a draw to it that buses don't. I don't imagine people getting on Rapid Buses to go to a game downtown for example, whereas on light rail definitely. I havn't been on the rapid transit buses now but from the outside they look like the coach/touring buses where everyone has a plush seat that faces forward...they just seem to much like herding people around like cattle vs light rail that is much more spacious and has multiple entry/exit points.

[pbenjamin]

Correction to my above post: The BART station near the Coliseum in Oakland is not crappy, but the neighborhood surrounding the station is.

Also, I hate the A's and Raiders. ;)

I despise that BART station. It seems that each time that we went to Cal Parents' Weekend there was a Raiders home game when we were trying to get to the airport. Negotiating the turnstiles and escalator with luggage in a crowd are next to impossible.

(neutral on Raiders, but a big A's fan)

[HooverDam]

Hell, in a perfect world Grand Avenue would be refurbished and restored to prominence as one of the city's "main" streets with LRT running up and down the middle a la what we're seeing on Central from Washington/Jefferson to Camelback.

Personally I'd like to see commuter, not light, rail along Grand Ave. The tracks are already there, and Grand Ave and those tracks already intersect the downtowns of the Northwest Valleys two major cities Glendale and Peoria. Further out it also goes through 'downtown' Surprise and out to Wickenburg. Other than 'Lower Grand' (south of the I-10) that street has very little chance of becoming a walkable/TOD type of area, so I think commuter rail which stops less often would be best.

I don't know what it is, but light rail just has a draw to it that buses don't.

I know what you mean, LRT is cleaner, more spacious and quicker. I rarely ride buses unless my car is in the shop, but Ill ride the LRT frequently. But like I said, it just seems like a waste putting tracks in the ground on the 10 when they'll rarely be used.

[glynnjamin]

It has to be commuter rail down the tracks south of I-10 to solve the West Valley problem and it has to be commuter rail down Grand Ave to solve the Surprise/Sun City/Glendale problem. If at some point the LRT ever gets built down Glendale, so be it. The infrastructure is already in place for Surprise, Glendale, and Phoenix to handle a train down Grand Ave. I haven't been out to Laveen, Buckeye, Goodyear, etc. so I can't speak for them, but I would image there isn't much around the tracks.

Commuter rail provides for both TOD and a cost effective solution to 4-hour traffic issues. Seattle is a perfect example. Look at how, in just 5 years, the Sounder stations have turned into huge projects along the line. Kent Station and the Tacoma Dome Station have turned into huge projects with shopping, eateries, movie theaters, and an assortment of other options. Instead of building our mass transit TO the developments, why can't we have the developments come to mass transit? People will gladly park & ride at Thunderbird & Grand at the Suprise Station. People will Gladly park & ride at Glendale & Grand. People will be more than happy to drive 1 mile south of I-10 to park and have a nice train ride into downtown Phx.

I'm not saying that I am against running LRT down Thomas (or Indian School) to help Maryvale, but I am strongly against making freeway traffic worse for 4 years so that there is something that can only be used for 4 hours a day. Surely we can rent rail lines for 4 hours a day during the week and 2 hours on Sunday during football games.

[PhxPavilion]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves and start extending the LRT in every direction out to the boonies to service a few people in a city that is all about vehicles. If you do that than there will be less incentive for people to go downtown once again. We need to be focusing on the core and building out from there. Running a line down the 10 is a horrible idea imo.

[electricron]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves and start extending the LRT in every direction out to the boonies to service a few people in a city that is all about vehicles. If you do that than there will be less incentive for people to go downtown once again. We need to be focusing on the core and building out from there. Running a line down the 10 is a horrible idea imo.

A good transit system uses multimodes, multiple types of trains and buses/vans, and multiple types of vehicle lanes. It's almost 25 miles along Grand from SH 303 to downtown Phoenix. That's about the maximum recommended length for a light rail line. It's also about the minimum recommended distance for a commuter rail line. Since there isn't much high density along this route, and a freight line already exists, commuter rail along this corridor will be far cheaper to build than light rail.

Likewise, commuter rail could head west to east along the existing freight line paralleling I 10 to provide express services. Although light rail could also parallel along city streets to service higher density areas, as others have recommended west, and as already exists east.

Although I don't recommend building both modes of train service in a single corridor until after building something in every corridor first. But there isn't anything wrong having both in the same corridor, as long as there are sufficient demand for transit servces.

Many cities employ two, three and more transit modes in a single corridor. For example, Dallas using regular bus, express bus, commuter rail, and light rail along the I 35E corridor north of downtown Dallas to the SH 144 interchange, a distance of 5 miles, where the different services split into different directions. Even so, several different modes follow one another for several more miles before spliting directions again.

[atlantaguy]

It has rebounded slightly. It's still not an upscale area by any means; in fact, a lot of people will stereotype it as "ghetto," even though it's not a real ghetto at all. I consider Christown more dull than dangerous. I don't fear for my life there, but there aren't many good places to eat or get a drink in that area.

The west side of the Christown mall is where the light rail station and transit center are located. Adjacent to the transit center, there is a big new Super Target store, which has become popular. That store is the main reason I go to Christown. The only downside is that the Super T was built in classic suburban style with surface parking in front. It should have been built right up against the street with a garage for use by both Target shoppers and light rail commuters.

Thanks, silverbear! I agree - they should have built an "urban" Target there.

Re: stereotyping certain areas as ghetto, I work with a girl that just transferred here from PHX, and she keeps telling me that Metrocenter is now considered ghetto! I'm not buying it.

Again, great pics everyone. I'm guessing we won't recognize the Central Corridor in a couple of years (after the recession, of course).

And LOVE the new Convention Center expansion. Phoenix is looking better than ever.

[HooverDam]

as ghetto, I work with a girl that just transferred here from PHX, and she keeps telling me that Metrocenter is now considered ghetto! I'm not buying it.

Metrocenter is super ghetto. Its fallen a long way since its glory days when Bill & Ted was shot there. Nowadays the ice rink is gone and nearly every other store sells 'tall tee's' to the hip hop community that have giant gaudy Phoenix bird logos or "602" written in old English font.