Our first Open House was quite a success, with a better than expected turnout.
The following remarks were delivered at the meeting:
We want to see a balanced, integrated transportation system.
We recognize that rail alone can't solve all our problems. But we are running out of space and money to expand our highway systems, even as traffic congestion and pollution continue to increase. Over the next ten years, the worldwide fleet of passenger airliners is expected to double, but in the United States there are no new airports, and few airport expansions, planned. This means the airlines will concentrate on long distance routes and continue to cut back on short runs such as Phoenix-Tucson, Phoenix-Yuma, and maybe even Phoenix-Los Angeles.
The only remaining option is rail
Many of these rails already exist, or can be upgraded - all we have to do is use them.
I have heard the complaint, "but I have to drive because I need the flexibility." But look at what so many cars are doing: They go back and forth to work at the same time every day. If all we did was make it easier for some of those persons to take the bus or the train, that would increase the capacity of our roads. But a balanced system can do much more than that.
Look at Dallas - which is moving toward an integrated system
Without a real transportation system, a community can suffocate on the congestion caused by its very growth. A policy of highways-only isolates those who
With a balanced transportation system, a family might have just one car, not one car per person.
ARPA wants a balanced transportation system. With our highway and airway options becoming more and more limited, the rail option is finally getting the attention it has lacked for many years. We should start by using the rails which are already in place. For the continued success and growth of Phoenix, the Valley of the Sun, and Arizona, a Regional Rail system is the next logical step.
