Figure 3. Phoenix - Tucson High Speed Rail with Regional Extension to Wickenburg and Nogales
The Arizona Department of Transporation studied the feasibility and cost of rail passenger service between Phoenix and Nogales in 1994, and of high speed service between Phoenix and Tucson in 1998. With the need for added travel capacity to the Phoenix/Tucson corridor becoming more evident every day, ARPA recommends that rail passenger service be implemented in this corridor. A travel time of two hours or less between Phoenix and Tucson could be achieved by upgrading the existing Union Pacific railroad line.
ADOT's upcoming Major Investment Study for the Interstate 10 corridor, required by the Federal Highway Administration as a precursor to adding corridor travel capacity, should include consideration of rail passenger service. Frequent high speed rail travel, closely integrated with urban transit, taxicab, and shuttle opportunities at its stations, can carry substantial numbers of people whose cars otherwise will require further widening of I-10. Train trips of a consistent two hours' duration will become increasingly attractive as highway construction progresses and congestion increases. Improvements to the existing Union Pacific rail line required for high speed passenger service between Picacho and Tucson could also make container and trailer transport on flat cars more attractive as well, further aiding I-10.
ARPA recognizes that some widening and upgrading of I-10 will be necessary in any event, even if only for modernization and safety; and there will be lengthy disruptions to the freeway's already-inadequate capacity. High speed passenger rail service can be introduced between Phoenix and Tucson as a mitigation for I-10 construction. With designation as a freeway construction mitigation project, federal highway funds may be applied to the proposed rail passenger service.
In Florida, when I-95 was rebuilt north of Miami, such funds were used toward the introduction of Tri-Rail, with rail construction expenses included in the cost of widening the parallel Interstate highway. Today, Tri-Rail carries 2.5 million passengers annually.
ARPA also suggests that ADOT seek designation by the Federal Railroad Administration of this Phoenix/Tucson link as a high speed rail corridor, to further establish this rail passenger service as a candidate for federal assistance.
ARPA recommends that conventional trains, initially hauled by diesel-electric and eventually electric locomotives, be used for these services. Such equipment would be flexible, permitting some Phoenix/Tucson trains to be extended regionally to places like Wickenburg or Nogales, and would increase the return on investment with cars, locomotives, stations, and tracks shared with other rail services in Arizona.
The extension of some trains to Nogales would generate a significant number of rail passengers from Nogales and Mexico, according to ADOT's earlier study. While the Tucson/Nogales corridor will not be impacted directly by Interstate 10 construction, as discussed below, many travelers on Interstate 19 from Nogales continue westward toward Phoenix and Los Angeles; rail passenger service would give them an opportunity to choose rail over freeway travel, thereby diverting some traffic from I-10 west of Tucson.
Figure 4. The Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway currently provides daily rail passenger service from Williams to the Grand Canyon, with a connecting shuttle from Amtrak's Southwest Chief. ARPA supports this service and looks for its continuing expansion. The future looks bright for the Grand Canyon Railway, especially with the Grand Canyon National Park moving toward eliminating most private automobiles from inside the park itself. (See "Light Rail Transit Service at the Grand Canyon National Park," on page *.)