27 June 1997
ARPA recognizes that a comprehensive plan for the transportation needs of Arizona's major metropolitan areas will require a variety of solutions. We believe light rail should be implemented within corridors linking major activity centers, whereas commuter rail should be used to link suburban areas to those downtown cores with high levels of entertainment, employment, and government activities.
Commuter rail is local and regional passenger train operations between a central city, its suburbs, and/or another central city. It may be either conventional locomotive-hauled or self-propelled passenger cars operating on existing railroad rights-of-way. It is characterized by multi-trip tickets and specific station-to-station fares. (Examples: San Diego's Coaster and Los Angeles' Metrolink.) Typical cost is $5 to $15 million per mile, with stops every 3 to 5 miles, speeds reaching 60 to 75 mph, and a peak hourly capacity of 10,000 to 30,000.
Light rail is an electric railway with a lower volume of traffic capacity compared to "heavy rail" systems such as subways. Light rail may use shared or exclusive rights-of-way, high or low platform loading, and multi-car trains or single cars. Examples are the San Diego Trolley, and St. Louis' new system. Typical cost is $15 to $30 million per mile, with stops every ½ to 1 mile, speeds reaching 30 to 50 mph, and a peak hourly capacity of 10,000 to 20,000.
ARPA recommends the use of both commuter rail and light rail pursuant to the following criteria:
And with the following provisions: