Because of a reporting error, this editorial has been corrected.
Those who have been to the Northeast, anywhere in Europe or Japan can vouch for the convenience and ease that passenger rails give to travelers. The Metro Light Rail, which travels from Mesa through Tempe and downtown Phoenix, is the only rail example in Arizona. But a real possibility exists that we will get more trains for rail travel and it’s exciting.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is conducting a study about a possible passenger rail to Tucson. While the details are limited — the study phase will not even end until 2013 — travelers should be excited at this possibility. High-speed rail or not, this could free up the crowded Interstate 10.
Perhaps the most pressing point is that the state will eventually need it. It is estimated that the population between Phoenix and Tucson will be 12 million by 2050. That’s a ton of people. The state will have to come up with innovative ways to transport people around Arizona, and roads can only hold so many people.
The biggest objection is the cost. Surely it will be an expensive project, so who will pay for it? Perhaps we will receive funds from the federal government, or maybe the taxpayers will have to foot the bill. Fronting the money for something as useful as this is not wasteful money; rather, it is an investment in our future.
Now we need to dispel the notion that public transportation is bad. The public was largely skeptical about the Light Rail when it opened, but it has proven to be mighty useful, as it sees a steady stream of commuters every day. The Valley is by no means a public transportation haven, but this should not stop us from rallying around a passenger rail from here to Tucson.
The possibilities lay wide open. Based on the location of the stops, perhaps students that live in Tucson could take classes at ASU or vice versa. Maybe workers could live in Phoenix but work in Tucson. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine that Tucson businesses would receive this notion with a warm welcome, as they would most likely have much easier access to Sky Harbor airport, the state’s only major airplane hub.
Critics will also question how to get around once you reach your destination? Public transportation in Phoenix isn’t exactly nationally renowned, and though Tucson is smaller, it still is by no means easy to get around by walking.
Several options exist to solve this problem. At the beginning and end destinations there could be buses that transport people to the more popular destinations in either city.
The second solution is the one that, while it makes more sense, may receive a lot more criticism. We could just invest more in public transit. Think of the usefulness a rail line would have in Tucson or a better bus system to get around the Valley.
While it is far off in the future, the fact that we are having this discussion is exciting.
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