Dear Editor:
The Arizona Rail Passenger Association (ARPA) supports the implementation of a region-wide multimodal transit system, including both bus and rail elements, to help meet today's transportation and related air pollution concerns.
With the recent release of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and the Morrison Institute's survey on Phoenix's transit situation, it is becoming increasingly apparent that merely expanding the highway system will not relieve congestion. Since 1978, ARPA has been a strong force in initiating legislation that would enable the Valley of the Sun to be served by regional rail passenger trains. We propose this not as the sole solution, but as part of the choice commuters and citizens should have in meeting their transportation needs in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Rail-feasibility studies conducted over the past several years show that Valley commuters would accept and use an expanded rail and bus network… a network which would bring forth a much needed balance in the way citizens travel across the Valley. Many people, from both government and private sectors, have long supported the creation of such a rapid transit plan. Unfortunately, State legislators in 1994 and 1995 rejected a bill that would have created the Arizona Rail Authority, even though there was no community opposition.
We must now all work together to implement viable solutions to the congestion, pollution, and stress we see on the roads every day. As part of this effort, ARPA urges the citizens and officials of this state and county to support rail passenger service in Arizona. To preserve the Valley's quality of life, perhaps it's time to let someone else do the driving!
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