Media Watch: 1999 (Apr.--Dec.)
December
- [A new freeway creates more traffic woes than it solves] "because it
makes everybody drive more. If freeways solved transportation problems, Los
Angeles would be heaven." -- Paul Basha, Scottsdale's traffic
engineering director, in The Arizona Republic, 24 December 1999, page
B2.
- TEXAS -- "Light rail's effect on traffic disputed; DART system's costs,
benefits weighed" Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 December 1999. QUOTES:
"DART's 3-year-old light-rail system has beckoned many people. About
40,000 people ride the trains daily, 6,000 more than officials had projected
for 1999. Trinity Railway Express, the diesel-powered trains that run from
south Irving to downtown Dallas, expanded ahead of schedule to off-peak hours
and Saturday service and now serves 2,400 daily riders... [O]n the rebuilt
North Central Expressway... approximately one in five people now use trains
instead of cars during peak travel periods..."
- "Privatization of Amtrak could help put railroad on right
track" by Jon Pepper, The Detroit News, 19 December 1999.
Donald Grinter, chairman of ABC-NACO Inc., a $700 million railroad supply
company, says Americans ought to get on board for privatization of the
passenger rail industry.
- "Wider freeway in Tempe canceled" The Arizona Republic, 18
December 1999, page A1. QUOTE: "The state Department of Transportation has
called off plans to widen the Superstition Freeway to up to 12 lanes through
Tempe." See: ARPA's proposed Arizona Rail
system
- "Value of light rail" Letter, Ann E. Ralles, The Arizona
Republic, 18 December 1999, page B9. QUOTE: "In transit, as in
biology, there is strength in diversity. Investing in rail, buses, pedestrian
and bicycle modes create[s] a multiplier effect to reduce congestion at peak
travel times."
- "Phoenix sets transit vote for March [2000]" The Arizona
Republic, 15 December 1999, page B1. QUOTE: "Among other things, the
transit [0.4 percent sales] tax would allow Phoenix to establish bus service on
all major streets... run the buses 19 hours a day vs. the current dawn-to-dusk
operation of much of the current sytem; expand express-bus service; introduce
neighborhood circulator buses in the Ahwatukee area; and build a 17-mile
[light] rail line from the airport into downtown and up to Chris-Town mall by
2006."
- UTAH -- Salt Lake City. "Win
One, Lose One" December news from
InterRail.
East/West light rail to be built after all; Construction at UP station may doom
it as intermodal terminal, taking the commuter rail project with it; TRAX light
rail is standing room only.
- UTAH -- Salt Lake City. "Hordes Are Gone, But TRAX Is Still Full " The Salt
Lake Tribune, 7 December 1999. Salt Lake's TRAX light rail system is a big
success.
November
- "Supervisors approve moving new morgue," The Arizona
Republic, 30 November 1999, page B3. County supervisors have agreed to move
the new Phoenix morgue to 7th Avenue and Jefferson, out of the Jackson Street
Arts and Entertainment district, and away from the Union Station area. The
Santa Fe freight house will be restored.
- "Free bus rides for Tempe students urged," The
Arizona Republic, 23 November 1999, page EV7. High school students in Tempe
could soon be riding city buses instead of yellow school buses. The Tempe Union
School District wants to eliminate many of its school buses as the city
increases service on "Valley Metro" city routes to every fifteen
minutes. School administrators are embracing the plan. Tempe Councilman Hugh
Hallman says, "If we get a bunch of kids riding the buses, it will be more
than enough payoff for the community."
- "Transit panel submits ideas" The Arizona
Republic, 19 November 1999, page A1. Summary: Phoenix does not have a
source of money dedicated to transit, unlike most major cities and many
medium-size cities. Without a transit tax, or some other source of funding, the
current lackluster bus system cannot expand and the region's hopes of tying
down federal money for light-rail construction will evaporate. "Everybody
has different ideas on what transit needs to be," City Councilwoman Peggy
Bilsten told the 27-member citizen transit committee. "But we all agree
that what we have today is not good." Without some compromise, transit
will remain stuck in low gear, she said.
- "Light rail column's facts didn't track" by Neil E. Manske,
The Arizona Republic, 17 November 1999, page 3EV. Mr. Manske rebuts the
suggestion that autos should be our only transportation alternative. QUOTE:
"The Semmens 'Do Nothing Plan' is short-sighted and irresponsible. It's
what you can expect from those who know the price of everything and the value
of nothing."
October
- "3 days, 29 resolutions" Daily News-Sun, 22 October 1999,
page A3. QUOTES: "Arizona's Silver Haired Legislature has wrapped up its
inaugural session... Five resolutions will be forwarded to the regular
Legislature, which could use them to formulate policy... The most populare of
these resolutions, said Mary Lynn Kasunic, executive director of the Area
Agency on Aging, is the establishment of an
Arizona Rail Authority. Bob Hart, of Peoria... said an overarching agency
is needed to make commuter rail a reality..."
- "Tirade against light rail sans alternatives" by Steve Corman,
The Arizona Republic, 22 October 1999, page 4EV. QUOTE:
"...perennial naysayer John Semmens is at it again... Mr. Semmens and
other perennial transit opponents unleash blizzards of supposedly good
alternatives to public transit every time an election is near. Then once they
have prevailed in an election, they do nothing..."
- "Light rail is not the answer for Valley" by John Semmens, The
Arizona Republic, 19 October 1999, page 6EV.
- "Who is crafting transit ballot? Light-rail supporters control
panel, critics say." Arizona Republic, 5 October 1999, page B1.
September
August
- New jail: Anyplace but… south of Jackson" The
Arizona Republic 22 Aug 1999, page B8. Plans to raze most of the historic
Warehouse District including the Santa Fe Freight Depot are criticized. Would
severely negatively impact possibilities for reuse of Phoenix Union Station.
- "Reports: Can Amtrak be near end of the line?" by Ben
White, The Washington Post, 8 August 1999. QUOTE: "Amtrak is enjoying a
slightly better than expected 1999 but still faces serious obstacles to
becoming financially self-sufficient by 2003, as required by law, two recent
government reports conclude."
July
- "200-mph passenger train linking L.A. and San Francisco
proposed" Tucson's Arizona Daily Star, 11 July 1999. QUOTE:
"The staff of the California High-Speed Rail Authority has recommended
that a proposed San Francisco to Los Angeles passenger train system that could
zip up to 200 mph make stops in or near San Jose, Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield
and Santa Clarita."
- McCains shaken in train wreck: 'Couple of bumps' for senator's
wife, son By Bill Muller The Arizona Republic 9 July, 1999. QUOTE:
"The wife and 13-year-old son of Sen. John McCain were "doing
fine" after crawling out of a toppled Amtrak train following a derailment
near Houston, the senator said Thursday."
- Amtrak train hits truck, derails west of Houston CNN, 8 July
1999. QUOTE: "EAGLE LAKE, Texas (AP) -- An Amtrak train carrying 235
passengers struck a truck Thursday, derailing nine cars and injuring 18 people.
"
- Train crossings no place to race San Antonio
Express-News . QUOTE: " In 1934, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled
trains always have the right of way over cars and trucks. Ever since, Texas
drivers have been among the worst violators of this decision, trying to beat
oncoming trains by racing across tracks or darting around railroad gates.
"
June
- TUCSON: "Council OKs plan to refurbish Union Pacific train depot"
Arizona Daily Star 29 June 1999. QUOTE: "The City Council yesterday
approved a 12-year, $26 million plan to refurbish the Union Pacific train
depot. But rather than choose between the depot's original 1907 version or the
expanded 1941 configuration, the council unanimously agreed to build something
that looks like the original but is as big as the existing structure... The
council train depot plan will require tearing down portions of the building,
making the project more of a historic re-creation than a restoration." At
least one station track will be reactivated.
- "$26M plan to fix train depot area is before council "
[Tucson] Arizona Daily Star 28 June 1999. QUOTE: "City officials
today will unveil an ambitious, 12-year, $26 million plan to refurbish the
northeast corner of downtown around the Union Pacific depot."
- "No jive
for Jackson St.: City, county need to put more thought into area's
future" Editorial, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 1999, page B10. QUOTE:
"County officials need to quit prefacing every statement with 'the new
jail cannot be moved' ...and city officials need to make concrete suggestions
about what the county ought to do differently."
- "Downtown jail can't be moved" by Mary Rose Wilcox, The
Arizona Republic, 18 June 1999, page B10. QUOTE: "Last Friday, I made
the announcement that the county will not destroy the old freight depot at 501
W. Jackson St. The Phoenix Historic Commission will now look at the building
and possibly add it to the historic register. ...I also announced that the
morgue would no longer be in the parking structure. Unfortunately, that is no
longer the case. My support for moving it disappeared..."
- "Whither
Warehouse?" Phoenix New Times, 17 June 1999. "The county's
new downtown jail would destroy valuable pieces of Phoenix's past."
- "Wilcox overstates generosity: Offer to change jail plans needs to be
scrutinized" The Arizona Republic, 15 June 1999, page B6. QUOTE:
"While it is gratifying to see Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox
extending her hand in cooperation with the city of Phoenix to help preserve
downtown's Jackson Street, by no means is this deal done..." Plans for a
parking garage and morgue on the Santa Fe Freight House site, say county
officials, are not yet off the table.
- "Downtown rally draws a crowd -- and county assurances" The
Arizona Republic 14 June 1999, page B3. QUOTES: "On June 4, the
Citizens Committee to Save Jackson Street staged a rally to blast Maricopa
County's plans to build a jail and other facilites in downtown Phoenix...
Maricopa County officials... say there are no plans to demolish the Union
Station, as some fear... [County Supervisor Mary Rose] Wilcox says the county
could actually ' jump start' redevelopment" of the area.
- "Qwest making hostile run at US West" The Arizona
Republic 14 June 1999, page A1. QUOTES: "Qwest Communications
International Inc... said Sunday that it was making a hostile $55 billion bid
to acquire US West Inc... Qwest is controlled by Philip Anschutz, the reclusive
Denver tycoon, and emerged from Anschutz's takeover of the Southern Pacific
railroad in 1988. Qwest has used rights-of-way from the railroad and others
to build an advanced nationwide fiber-optic communications network.
- "Amtrak links Fort Worth, Oklahoma City" Austin
American-Statesman 14 June 1999. see also:
- "Planners look beyond freeways. Next phase: Outer loop or mass
transit?" by Mary Jo Pitzl,
The Arizona Republic 13 June 1999.
- "County revamps jail plans; Compromise still gets cool
reception" by Pat Kossan, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 1999.
QUOTE: "Maricopa County is tempering its plans for a downtown Phoenix jail
complex, bowing to the city's demands to save Jackson Street's old buildings
and its potential as an arts and cultural center. The county's new proposal,
which has yet to be approved by the Board of Supervisors, keeps the jail and a
six-level parking garage on the drawing board. But the morgue will move, and
an old railroad depot [the Santa Fe Freight House] will be restored
instead of torn down..."
- "Save Downtown's History: Area plans would benefit from county-city
cooperation" Editorial, The Arizona Republic 10 June 1999, page B6.
Maricopa County has proposed razing the Santa Fe Freight House just northwest
of Union Station to erect a 2000 car parking garage and a morgue. QUOTE:
"The Phoenix and Maricopa County governments need to take seriously the
recommendations of the newly formed Jackson Street Advisory Committee... every
dusty old pile of bricks knocked down for a jail or morgue or a parking
structure is a load of life extracted from Phoenix's future."
- Senator Don Nickles' Press Release: Oklahoma Train named
Heartland Flyer. 8 June 1999.
- "Crowd
seeks return of Amtrak service: Congressmen discuss task force to explore route
between Boise, Portland" Spokane Spokesman-Review, 5 June 1999.
QUOTE: "More than 100 people, many coming from Ontario, Ore., voiced
support for an Amtrak route from Boise to Portland during a meeting to gauge
public backing for the proposed route."
May
- "Trashing Rail Transit: The Dismal Science is at it again" by
William C. Vantuono, Railway Age, May 1999. QUOTE: "Replacing rail
with buses may be 'sound economics' but it's a lousy way to get to work."
- "Myriad ideas on transit, roads offered" by Keith Bagwell
The Arizona Daily Star, 31 May 1999. QUOTES: "Some Tucson residents
made one thing clear to Gov. Jane Hull's transportation task force: They want
more state money..." and quotes from Anthony Haswell, Robert Lindley Jr.,
and Gene Caywood.
- "Light-rail transit advocates remain on track" by Gregor
McGavin, The Arizona Republic 30 May 1999, page 1EV.
- "Regional Mass Transit drained by new law" by Art
Thomason, The Arizona Republic 23 May 1999, page 1EV.
- "Chandler train museum to get federal aid" The Arizona
Republic 22 May 1999.
- "Where is vision to create transit plan?" Editorial, The
Arizona Republic 20 May 1999, page 6EV. QUOTES: "The piecemeal
approach [to public transportation], in which cities try to create their own
destiny, isn't working... There was an agreement among supporters and opponents
of the Chandler transit tax that the Valley suffered for lack of leadership in
pursuing a regional solution to a regional problem. On this common ground
should arise a movement to move the mass transit debate along in broader terms
and with more horsepower."
- "Big bucks talk, but not in Mesa" Opinion, Phil Boas, The
Arizona Republic 20 May 1999, page 6EV. QUOTES: "As for the Chandler
transportation election, I thought the greatest weakness of the plan... was its
image. This looked and felt like a strategy cobbled together by committee. And
indeed it was. The larger message of this vote is that all pretenses of
building a regional transit plan city by city are dead. Scottsdale, Phoenix,
and now Chandler have all tried to do it piecemeal and failed. The only
solution is a regional solution."
- "Rush-hour relief for Chandler? Not now; vote bad omen for
regional transit" by Janie Magruder, The Arizona Republic 20
May 1999. QUOTES: "The constant rush-hour stream of motorists at Dobson
and Elliot roads in Chandler isn't about to let up, and local buses will
continue to be catch as catch can. Voters on Tuesday defeated a proposed city
sales tax increase that would have paid for more buses, Dial-a-Ride vans, wider
major intersections, bicycle lanes and other improvements. The plan, which
would have raised $122 million over 10 years, got thumped in all but one of the
city's 19 precincts, 58 percent to 42 percent overall. 'It's obviously not a
positive step, coupled with the Legislature's actions a couple of weeks ago
where they said there cannot be a regional (transit) vote,' said Mayor Jay
Tibshraeny. 'It's a challenge that we need to take a look at.'"
- "Chandler puts brakes on transit tax" by Janie Magruder,
The Arizona Republic 19 May 1999. QUOTES: "Chandler on Tuesday
night became the third Valley city in 20 months to put the brakes on a tax
increase for transit... The Chandler vote leaves Tempe, the only Valley city
with a dedicated transit tax, out in the cold. Other cities and supporters of a
regional transportation system were watching the Chandler vote carefully. The
proposal's defeat had less to do with buses and more to do with an anti-tax
backlash, said Mike Perry, head of the Chandler Citizens Committee which
advanced it onto the ballot."
- "Chandler puts
brakes on transit tax" by Janie Magruder, The Arizona Republic
19 May 1999. QUOTES: "Chandler on Tuesday night became the third Valley
city in 20 months to put the brakes on a tax increase for transit... The
Chandler vote leaves Tempe, the only Valley city with a dedicated transit tax,
out in the cold. Other cities and supporters of a regional transportation
system were watching the Chandler vote carefully. The proposal's defeat had
less to do with buses and more to do with an anti-tax backlash, said Mike
Perry, head of the Chandler Citizens Committee which advanced it onto the
ballot."
- "Amended bill angers council: Would end city's hope for a light
rail system" The Arizona Republic, 4 May 1999, Mesa section,
page 1EV. QUOTE: "...the Mesa City Council is mighty upset with the state
Legislature for pulling the plug on its plans for a light rail system. The
council ... fired off a resolution Monday protesting a last-minute amendment to
[SB 1201] that kills any regional authority to extend a sales tax for freeways
and mass transit beyond 2005... Council members believe the amendment was aimed
at hurting the Maricopa Association of Governments but could end up
inadvertently dooming the RPTA [Regional Public Transit Authority],
instead."
- "Vision of future: More roadwork, more bottlenecks" by
Kathy Finberg, The Arizona Republic, 4 May 1999, Mesa section, page 6EV.
The MAG 20-year plan has "a tripling of bus transit and 39 miles of
trolley [light rail] tracks. But [the] real focus over those two decades is an
89 percent increase in the miles of expressways and freeways in the
Valley." She says to MAG, "Your long-term vision is shortsighted,
too. Recent Valley history tells us that the more roadways we build, the more
development spreads, the more vehicles jam the roads, and we more we end up
with the same old traffic problems."
- "Mass transit can work, if you believe" by Art Thomason,
The Arizona Republic, 4 May 1999. QUOTES: "I'm not ready to give
up. Mass transit is hopeless if we keep convincing ourselves that it is.
Purposeless until we realize that mass transit is a staple of urban life. That
it is like police and fire protection, garbage collection and clean water. All
of the things that our cities are not making money off of. Useless until we
understand that we and our cities have to take the lead and establish local
mass transit systems in the absence of effective, comprehensive transit
planning at the regional and state levels of government."
April
- "Chandler transit cost projections stir debate" by Janie
Magruder, The Arizona Republic 28 April 1999. QUOTE: "Based on
ridership in Tempe and Mesa, RPTA estimates 290,200 local bus service boardings
would occur in 1999, while 10,200 Dial-a-Ride boardings are anticipated next
year."
- Mass transit is answer, not wider U.S. 60" by Art
Thomason, The Arizona Republic, 27 April 1999. QUOTE: "I'm betting
that many sole commuters would eventually grow weary of lonely trips and climb
aboard buses and trains if a reliable, "round-the-clock transit
system" were in place."
- "Truth about Semmens, his negative campaign" Opinion by Mike
Perry, The Arizona Republic, 25 April 1999, page 6EV. QUOTE: "For
the past several months, John Semmens has mounted a misleading and distorted
political campaign against Question 1 in Chandler [which] is the plan to make
our streets safer, reduce congestion and provide more transportation
alternatives, including a full time bus and Dial-a-Ride system."
- "New transit tax a bad product at a bad price" Opinion by John
Semmens, The Arizona Republic, 25 April 1999, page 6EV. Semmens says 90
percent of bus seats are empty, but ignores the fact that most buses are
crammed during rush hour.
- "Grand Canyon digs in for Mass Transit" The Arizona
Republic, 24 April 1999, page B1.
- "Grand Canyon to kick cars out: Park starts building staging area
for transit" Deseret News, 24 April 1999. QUOTE: "[O]n
Friday, Grand Canyon National Park took the first step toward eliminating most
of the 1.5 million cars and commercial buses that annually snake along the
park's aging roadways when ground was broken on the $17 million Canyon View
Information Plaza."
- "Groundbreaking set for Canyon visitors center" by Peter
Corbett, The Arizona Republic, 22 April 1999. This will be "one of
the first steps toward reducing traffic in the park and turning the park into a
place where visitors can see canyon vistas from walking and biking trails and
use light-rail trains and alternative fuel buses to get from one scenic
overlook to the next."
- "Regional mass transit on shaky ground: Amended bill would knock
out sales tax election" by Mike McCloy, The Arizona Republic,
23 April 1999. QUOTE: "Lawmakers are on the verge of pulling the plug on
plans for a rail-transit system in Maricopa County."
- "Kyl supporting $3 million request for light-rail planning in
Valley" The Arizona Republic, 12 April 1999, page B1. Senator Kyl
will support a $3 million request to continue planning for light rail. The
system will eventually run from Mesa to Glendale. Sen. Kyl and Rep. Pastor are
also supporting between $12 and $17 million for bus projects.
- "Light rail is sensible way for mass transit to go" Editorial,
Kathy Finberg, The Arizona Republic, Mesa section, 6 April 1999, page 6EV.
- "Amtrak's vision: Today, the Northeast. Tomorrow,
America" By William C. Vantuono, Railway Age, April 1999.
ARPA News Page