Media Watch: 1998 (Jan.-Jun.)

updated: 10 December 1998

• In this file: January, February, March, April, May, June
• See also: Diamondbacks Express 1998
• ARPA UPDATE, June 1998

June

• June 1998 ARPA UPDATE
• "2-mile rail link is proposed from Tempe to stadium" by Bob Petrie and Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, June 20, 1998, page A1. QUOTES: "If Mesa and Tempe taxpayers agree in November, a two-mile, $49 million, light-rail system would run from downtown Tempe to the proposed centerpiece of Rio Salado Crossing, a $476 million multipurpose retractable domed stadium and convention center." "'I think this project will help drive light rail,' said Dave Spaur, Mesa's economic development director."
  • More on the East Valley stadium issue
• "Firm to study future of NW Valley travel," by Brent Whiting, The Arizona Republic, June 10, 1998. QUOTES: "A Phoenix firm has been hired to determine transportation needs in the northwest Valley for the next 20 years. The $135,000 contract to BRW Inc., a Phoenix consultant, was awarded last week by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. ...The study will look at many forms of transportation, including bicycle, pedestrian and rail options, said Teresa Verbout, a spokeswoman for the county agency. "
• "Japan's Magnetic Train May Not Float" Los Angeles Times, Monday, June 1, 1998. The future of a high-tech railway system is growing dimmer as costs soar. QUOTE: "'Rail technology has advanced to the stage at which it can do most of what maglev was intended to do,' said Tony R. Eastham, an engineering professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 'It's not quite as fast, but it's more affordable, and it's a proven technology.'"

May

• "Labor shortage hurts downtown" Business Journal of Phoenix, May 25, 1998. QUOTES: Margaret Mullen, executive director of the Downtown Phoenix Partnership Inc.: "'When they compare us to another downtown, we're in trouble.' ...Mullen said companies often pick downtown areas in Dallas, Denver or Portland because they have a better public transportation system with weekend rail or bus service."
• "Downtown ballpark shuttle bus going into private firm's hands" The Arizona Republic May 13, 1998, page B1. Southwest Charter Lines will run the baseball shuttles through the end of this season. Shuttles will be offered from Park Central Mall, the State Capitol, and Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Fare will be $3.
• "Tempe OKs site for transit center" Bob Petrie, The Arizona Republic May 9, 1998, page EV3. QUOTE: "The City Council reluctantly agreed to build the center on a parking lot the city owns on Fifth Street near Forest Avenue." (This is adjacent to the "Creamery Branch" but about 1/2 mile from the Tempe Depot.)
• "Lesson in LA transit failure" Letter, David M. Sadler, The Arizona Republic May 5, 1998, page B4. Referring to Fleeman's April 26 article (see below), Mr. Sadler concludes that transit just doesn't work. See the ARPA response: Los Angeles: 100,000 People Can't be Wrong
• "Treatment proposed for growing pains" By Joe Farnsworth, The Arizona Republic May 5, 1998, page 6EV. QUOTE: "The city needs to be part of a comprehensive, regional plan to move people efficiently between cities, as well as from place to place within Mesa. When that system is in place, it will be time to seriously consider light rail."

April

See also: Diamondbacks Express

• April 1998 ARPA UPDATE
• "Transit system primed to drive people bonkers" by Tom Freestone, The Arizona Republic April 26, 1998, page 8EV. Senator Freestone (R-Gilbert) discusses transportation problems but does not actually mention transit.
• "LA stops subway construction to cut its sizable losses: Years, billions result in a partial commuter system" by Michael Fleeman (AP), The Arizona Republic April 26, 1998, page A23. Overbuilding, mismanagement costs Los Angeles.
• "Around the world by rail" The Arizona Republic April 26, 1998, page T1 (Travel). Four articles:
  • "Iron horses maintain hold on all of us" by Richard Nilsen
  • "Europe: Mountains, rivers, castles, quaint villages" (Newsday)
  • "Mexico: Copper Canyon, Indians, ghost towns" (Newsday)
  • "US/Canada: Just train thoughts on scenery" by Barbara Shea (Newsday)
• "Fans get to ride the rails to BOB -- Trying out a train" by Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic April 19, 1998, page B1. QUOTES: "One thousand train tickets sold out in seven hours." "Gil Mallery, president of Amtrak West, was in town Saturday morning to brainstorm possibilities with [ARPA] ... He said Amtrak is interested in exploring corridor travel -- such as between the Valley and Los Angeles, the Valley and Tucson, and the Valley and San Diego -- as well as local commuter travel..."
• "All Aboard the 1st D-Backs Express" by Vivi Stenberg,Mesa Tribune, April 19, 1998, page A5. QUOTE: "And although it was meant as a one-time promotional event on the Diamondbacks' behalf, passenger said they would eagerly catch another ride with the express if it's offered again."
• "Transit needs a green light" Letter to the Editor, The Arizona Republic April 19, 1998, page 6EV. Tempe Chamber of Commerce stands behind the city's transit program
• "Bumper to Bumper: Milwaukee discovers trains are 'the way to go'" Column, Bob Petrie, The Arizona Republic April 19, 1998, page EV1. QUOTE: "The quick sellout of the Diamondbacks Tempe-to-Phoenix train commuter package for this weekend's games with the Florida Marlins makes me wonder why rail wouldn't be a nice alternative to being stuck in rush hour traffic, day after day." "Rail is now working in Milwaukee, where a masstive freeway paving project on Interstate 94 sparked the creation of a temporary passenger train service between the west suburbs and downtown..."
• "Central Ave. events throw fans curveball: Mall bus won't run Sunday" The Arizona Republic April 17, 1998, page A1. QUOTES: The baseball shuttle bus "was more successful than transit officials had dreamed of. More than 20,000 people rode the shuttles during their first week of operation." "...transit officials said the huge response has been encouraging, especially because so many of the riders apparently had not used a bus before."
• SIDEBAR: "Private firms bid to run buses" (ibid, page A12). QUOTES: "The city-run baseball shuttle buses have been a roaring success... the shuttles generated nearly enough money from the $2 round-trip fare to cover costs..."
• All aboard for tickets on D-Backs' shuttle train The Arizona Republic April 7, 1998
• "Fans can go to 2 games by train from Tempe," The Arizona Republic April 3, 1998
• "D-Backs Express keeps fans on track: Team touting 2-game train rides from Tempe." Mesa Tribune, 3 April 1998, page A1. QUOTES: "A train dubbed the 'Diamondbacks Express' will take fans from downtown Tempe to the Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix for the April 18 and 19 games... The Diamondbacks might repeat the event if the idea proves successful, but as of now, no additional trips are planned."

March

• "Electric train is ludicrous" Letter by Stanley E. Rulapaugh, The Arizona Republic, March 30, 1998, page B4. Mr. Rulapaugh raises some interesting points. He mentions using automobiles but misses the fact that I-10 will be at or over capacity in a few years. He mentions using airplanes, but Sky Harbor too is nearing capacity. He does ask, why not "just put an... Amtrak train together and run it on the Union Pacific once or twice a day to see if anyone showed up?"
• "Phoenix still a second-class city?" Lloyd Clark, column: "As time goes by," Daily News-Sun, March 24, 1998.
• "Bus passes let newcomers see Tempe" The Arizona Republic, March 17, 1998, page EV1. QUOTES:
  • "The city is giving out 500 passes a month through August to renters and new homeowners, hoping they will hop on the bus instead of using their cars."
  • "A new transit center... will be recommended... to be built on a city-owned parking lot along Fifth Street west of College Avenue... The parking lot [site] has the best proximity to activity centers, is most convenient for passengers, is the best site for safety and is the most accessible for rail, bike, and walking traffic..."
• "Tucson train: $3.8 billion and years off, study says" The Arizona Republic, March 17, 1998, page B1. The report of the High Speed Rail Task Force "recommended that rail service start using the Union Pacific tracks and conventional diesel engines. This would cost $379 million and allow train travel at a top speed of 79 mph. Over time, the report calls for further improvements... a better signal system and straightening some curves could improve diesel speeds to 100mph."
• "Scottsdale Airport plans new terminal, flights to railway" Mesa Tribune, March 10, 1998, page B2. QUOTE: "Entrepreneur Max Biegert, owner of the Grand Canyon Railway, wants to add scheduled daily flights to Williams Airport and to Grand Canyon airport to link up with his train service to the Grand Canyon."

February

• February 1998 ARPA UPDATE
• "City may put transit tax to vote" The Arizona Republic, Feb. 27, 1998, page EV1. As part of a proposed "quality of life" tax, Mesa would finance "40 bus pullout bays... 90 bus stop shelters and $4 million worth of park and ride lots."
• "Regional rail plan will leave Mesa out. Mayor, officials say they can hop aboard in future" Mesa Tribune, Feb. 26, 1998, page A1. Includes map of light rail on Apache Blvd./Main Street from McClintock to Mesa Drive which is possible should the city approve funding.
• Sacramento, California: "Buses, trains report record ridership" Sacramento Business Journal, Feb. 23, 1998. QUOTE: "Overall, [RT] ridership is 20 percent higher than it was in 1994 -- and light rail has reached passenger levels originally projected for 2000."
• "D-Backs plan Tempe-ballpark train run" Valley & State Watch, The Arizona Republic, Feb. 14, 1998, page B2
• [Team owner Jerry] Colangelo seeks train service to Diamondbacks games AP News Report, 10 February 1998
• "[Tucson City] Council may bid $1.6 million for downtown train depot" Arizona Daily Star, 9 February 1998, page B1.

January

• "ADOT chief resigns, pushed Valley roads. Opposed transit votes in Phoenix, Scottsdale" The Arizona Republic, Jan. 23, 1998, page B1. QUOTES: "Larry Bonine... announced his resignation as ADOT director... Gov. Jane Hull named deputy director Mary Peters as acting director... Bonine also angered Phoenix and Scottsdale officials when he staged a news conference six days before the cities' transit elections in September. He and DEQE Director Russell Rhoades denounced the proposed transit plans... some pro-transit forces blamed the transportation chief [for the defeat of the Phoenix plan by 126 votes]"
• "Tempe merchants should lead, advocate mass transit in Valley" Letter to the Editor, Brent D. Yonkovich, The Arizona Republic, Jan. 21, 1998, page 8EV
• "Get commuter rail on track" Letter to the Editor, William Lindley, The Arizona Republic, Jan. 19, 1998, page B6
• "Rail dream returns: Valley officials press light-rail studies with new federal aid" By Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, Jan. 13, 1998, page B2
• "Turning to light rail transit can solve Tucson's travel woes" by Tommy Harper, director of high school cirriculum, Tucson Unified School District. Viewpoints, The Arizona Daily Star, Jan. 10, 1998, page A13.
• "Transit goals: Speed, funding. Panel packs big agenda for freeways, toll lanes" by Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, Jan. 9, 1998, page B2. MOVE-IT (Maricopa Oversight and Input on Transportation Legislative Committee) Recommendations do mention rail, but only briefly.
  • Committee Recommendations

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