Southern Arizona Unions Endorse Q1&2

Representing the voices of more than 20,000 labor-union members in Southern Arizona, the Pima Area Labor Federation of the Arizona AFL-CIO recently announced its support of the Regional Transportation Plan for Pima County, joining an unprecedented coalition endorsing Questions 1 and 2.

If passed by voters on May 16, the improvements in the 20-year transportation plan will benefit working families…

Continue Reading Add comment April 21st, 2006

How the RTA Plan Improves Public Transit

To remain a viable and vibrant urban community in the 21st century, the Tucson region must invest in public transit. Not everyone in our community can afford a car. Some can’t drive. And for the sake of the environment, some choose to take public transit.

The freedom for all citizens to travel throughout our cities is vital for a strong community and economy.

The Regional Transportation Plan includes many public transit improvements that will build upon the success of the current transit system.

The Transportation Plan will:

–> Add bus routes
–> Expand transit services for seniors and people with disabilities
–> Add new park-and-ride centers making commuting by bus easier
–> Enhance the urban core by adding a modern streetcar

About 27 percent—or almost $534 million—of the $2.1 billion total plan will go to transit improvements.

IMPROVED BUS SERVICE

Expanded Hours

During the week the expanded hours will benefit workers, students and families who depend on transit for daily commutes, many routes will run until midnight. This makes it possible for people to break the cycle of poverty through night classes and/or working a second shift.

Easier Commutes

The Plan will also make it easier to use the bus for commuting to work or to cultural events in downtown Tucson.

Six new express routes will be added during weekday peak hours along with six new park-and-ride centers located in outlying communities with connecting routes to central Tucson. The new park-and-ride locations will include: Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, Valencia Rd/Casino del Sol area, Rita Ranch area, and Houghton/Broadway area.

Benefits for Seniors

During the next 20 years, a projected 54 percent increase in the total population of Pima County will result in a 67 percent increase in transportation needs for seniors and those who face physical challenges.

Within the Transportation Plan there are a number of items that will directly benefit seniors and those who assist them.

More Local Services

Transit services will be added within Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, and the community of Ajo. These new services are intended to provide daily connections to local activity centers as well as the regional bus routes.

Volunteer Transit Service

An innovative aspect of the Transportation plan is called the Volunteer Transit Service. This is a creative way to provide support to volunteers who transport seniors and others to doctor’s appointments, shopping and other services. Tucson’s Van Tran, Oro Valley’s Coyote Run, and Pima County’s Pima Transit will all be expanded by about 3.5 percent annually to meet the needs of our community.

High-Capacity Modern Streetcar System

Better than a bus

The high-capacity modern streetcar is far superior to buses, will greatly increase the ease of getting around the urban core of Tucson, and generate tremendous economic growth.

The streetcar system will link the University of Arizona and downtown along a 4-mile corridor in central Tucson between. It’s expected that 100,000 people will use the streetcars in the system each week.

Some of the benefits of modern streetcars:

–> Modern streetcars are more comfortable and quieter than buses.
–> Modern streetcars don’t pollute.
–> One modern streetcar holds twice as many people as a bus.
–> People enter at curb level, so there’s no need for special devices for wheelchairs.
–> The streetcar system allows the urban core to grow, without having to widen streets.
–> Once the rails are laid, we can add more streetcars to the system to meet demand.
–> Half of the costs for the streetcar system will be paid for by federal funds.
–> Modern streetcars last 25 to 30 years before having to be replaced, buses, 10 to 15.

Economic benefits

For every $1 dollar we spend on construction of the modern streetcar system in central Tucson, we can expect $10 of return in economic development. Portland, Oregon, built a similar streetcar system and saw $1.4 billion in new development invested along the streetcar line.

Operating costs are covered in the Transportation Plan along with matching federal funds to pay for maintaining and running the streetcars for the next 20 years.

Transit makes sense

Overall, the public transit improvements in the Regional Transportation Plan will give our citizens more freedom, help preserve our air quality, reduce traffic by making public transit more attractive and convenient, and contribute to our general economy.

Add comment April 3rd, 2006

Building a Better Grant Road

by Steve Farley, Board Member, Blenman Elm Neighborhood Association

I don’t have to tell you. You already know. Grant Road today is dangerous, ugly, and congested.

Grant isn’t working for motorists who have to wait for two and three signal cycles to pass through intersections. This wastes our time and money and pollutes our air–idling at intersections is the most significant source of pollution in our region.

Grant isn’t working for pedestrians who have to cross five lanes without any median refuge to get to the other side. Kids have been killed trying to cross. In a brief period of time early last year in a one-mile stretch between Alvernon and Country Club, nine pedestrians were injured, and one was killed.

Grant isn’t working for businesses when congestion blocks access to their driveways, there are no sidewalks for customers to reach their front doors, and any rainfall turns the road into a river.

All this is why the Grant Road project is one of the most important reasons to vote YES on Questions 1 and 2 on May 16.

When the plan passes on May 16, we will rebuild Grant Road as a neighborhood-friendly small-business corridor with improved crosstown mobility for motorists and improved safety for pedestrians.

If we don’t fix Grant now, there is no other source of significant revenues for its improvement. We can’t use impact fees, because those can only be spent where they are collected, predominantly in new subdivisions on the edges of town.

I have heard an opponent claim that we could improve Grant for less cost by simply improving intersections. That is simply not true. An intersection-only plan would not rebuild the roadbed to improve major drainage problems, would not build continuous sidewalks, would not build bike lanes, would not build medians for pedestrian safety, would not build pedestrian crossings at mid-block, and would not improve traffic flow as effectively as the proposed project.

If we don’t pass this plan, Grant will continue its decay as a dangerous, clogged roadway. Business activity will continue to decline as customers avoid the congestion to go elsewhere. More pedestrians will be injured and killed trying to cross with no median for refuge.

The Regional Transportation Authority listened to a group of concerned central-city neighbors and small businesses along the Grant corridor and took our advice to require Corridor Area Plans not just for Grant, but also for every other road project in the plan.

This public process guarantees that the neighbors and businesses most directly affected by these projects will sit on the citizen committee that will help to design the improved roadways. We can decide what parts of Grant we want to preserve, and what blighted parts we would like to improve.

We can build a six-lane road that is good for motorists and nearby residents. I live on the south side of Helen Street, so my backyard is literally Speedway Boulevard.

Speedway was widened some years back from five to six lanes, and I am proud to have this improved roadway as my neighbor. It is easy and safe for my daughters and I to cross the street to Himmel Park.

There are vibrant local businesses like Casa Video and many restaurants within walking distance. Continuous sidewalks, bike lanes and landscaping made a great improvement to my neighborhood’s quality of life.

I don’t think anyone would want today’s run-down Grant Road in their back yard. This is a tremendous opportunity to invest in the livability of our central city at the same time as we improve crosstown mobility.

Our newly re-built Grant Road will work for neighborhoods, businesses, pedestrians, AND motorists. Join me along with thousands of other community-minded Tucsonans and vote YES on Questions 1 and 2 on May 16.

Add comment April 3rd, 2006

Star columnist Ducote endorses 1 & 2

Business reporter Richard Ducote published a ringing endorsement of the RTA plan in today’s Star. He says, “This plan will help ease the congestion that is blocking our economic future.“

Continue Reading Add comment February 19th, 2006