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Even the Republic which normally supports any government pork project things the Tempe idea for streetcars is dumb!
Opinion: Buses, commuter rail should take priority by Southeast Valley editorial board - Jun. 23, 2010 11:54 AM Our View Why is a 2.6-mile streetcar line in central Tempe moving forward, when a bus route and commuter-rail line that would connect more riders in multiple cities are being postponed? Regional transit planners argue Tempe's $162 million streetcar project is a starter line that could one day extend into Chandler. They estimate the initial route would carry 1,100 to 1,600 passengers a day, funneling even more people to light rail, Arizona State University and thousands of jobs near campus. Planners also say the route could provide an economic boost to Tempe. Streetcars don't travel on fixed tracks, but like light rail, they often attract pedestrian-friendly projects, a perfect fit for more than 125 acres along Mill Avenue that are primed for redevelopment. Then again, the real-estate market is in horrid shape. If mixed-use developments have been postponed along light rail, it's doubtful the market would be any better along a streetcar route. And even with impending transit cuts, central Tempe is well connected. Bus routes and a free Orbit shuttle already connect the major destinations a streetcar route would serve. There are much better ways to spend $162 million. Regional transit dollars could provide Link buses, which make limited stops to speed travel. A 10-mile route connecting Tempe with west Chandler would carry five times the passengers as streetcars - an estimated 5,200 to 5,700 a day - for a little more than a third of the initial cost. Annual operating costs for Link buses and streetcars would be about the same, and both technologies would qualify for federal Small Starts transit funding, further stretching scarce local dollars. But transit planners have postponed the west Chandler route beyond 2026. That's a mistake. By moving up the buses and postponing streetcars, the county could use the money saved to plan commuter rail, which would run on existing train tracks from downtown Phoenix to Queen Creek. The 34-mile route would attract nearly 6,500 daily passengers, significantly more than any other potential commuter-rail route. But funding for commuter rail isn't included in the county's regional transportation plan update, which looks 20 years into the future. In better economic times, it might make sense to bring streetcars to Tempe. But projects with greater benefits should see those scarce transit dollars first.
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