The Arizona Rail Passenger Association (ARPA) proposes that a demonstration urban rail passenger service be provided during the Winter '95-'96 season. This service will provide an alternative means of transportation during the traditionally most congested time of year which, in this case, will be exasperated by the holding of Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium during the same time.
It is proposed to operate a shuttle train service between Phoenix Union Station and Downtown Mesa with intermediate stops at the Civic Plaza/America Mesa. Connecting bus service would be made available to off line destinations, including all terminals at Sky Harbor, and a large park-and-ride lot would be constructed on state land in Mesa.
During this time period are the busiest shopping and travel days of the year. Thus, winter visitors, holiday shopping traffic, and events associated with the Fiesta Bowl will combine with the Super Bowl and its associated events to stress existing transportation systems to the maximum. This creates the need to make use of a currently underutilized transportation resource in the Valley.
Providing this service and tailoring it for several different types of use, including commuter, shopping, airport shuttle, and stadium shuttle will provide some relief to the existing transportation systems and an opportunity to demonstrate to the public many of the functions of an urban rail system.
One particularly exciting aspect is that there exists a unique opportunity for one or more airlines to set up remote ticketing and possibly even baggage check facilities at one or more rail stations during the Thanksgiving week crush or possibly for the whole demonstration period. Their passengers could be dropped off at these stations (removing traffic from Sky Harbor), get their seat assignments, board the train, and on arrival at the Sky Harbor Station board a shuttle bus operated by the airline exclusively for those passengers, proceed to the airport terminal and then directly to the gate with no need to go through any more check-ins before boarding the plane.
Some improvements will need to be made to the existing railroad line to provide for maximum safety and efficiency of the operation. These improvements will result in permanent benefits to existing freight and passenger rail operations, however, and some benefits will accrue directly to automobile traffic, such as reduced grade crossing delays. The Valley's two existing Amtrak stations will be utilized, with improvements. The other four stations will be entirely new, although the Mesa City Center station will be at the site of the former SP depot.
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