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000A message from Mayor Skip Rimsza.

On Tuesday, March 14, 2000, the city of Phoenix voters made transit history with the passing of Proposition 2000. I am excited and energizedby the changes, which will take place over the coming months and years;

we are all winners in this successful endeavor.

Over the next 20 years, the population of Phoenix will grow by more than 600,000an increase of nearly 50 percent over the city’s current population. By the year2020, a staggering 4.5 million people will reside in surrounding Maricopa County.With the passing of Proposition 2000, we can now look to a future with solutionsto our congestion and air quality problems.

Here are just a few of the things you can look forward to having as tran-sit options in the city of Phoenix:

Local Bus Servicel Bus fleet increased by 150 buses; all powered by natural gas; 100

additional buses in the first five years.l Routes operating seven days a week beginning in the first year.l Extended service from 5 a.m. to midnight, Monday-Saturday; and

6 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays and holidays.l Target of 15-minute peak frequency and 30-minute off-peak frequency.

Dial-A-Ride Servicel Curb-to-curb service seven days a week for seniors and persons with disabilities.l Weekday and Saturday service 5 a.m.-midnight; 6 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays and

holidays.l Service doubles in the first year; number of vehicles increases from 60 to 100,

plus extended hours.

Bus Rapid Transitl Beginning in the third year, as soon as equipment is available, it

will operate four hours during each peak period (5-9 a.m., and 3-7 p.m.).

l Service every 10-15 minutes (average of 40 trips per day per corridor).l Uses HOV lanes on freeways.

Light Rail Rapid Transitl By 2006-Airport through downtown Phoenix to Chris-Town Mall.l By 2010-to Metro Center.l By 2016 additional 7-10 miles of rail line.l Operates mainly at street level in its own lane; separate from auto

traffic.l Electrically powered.

Join with me as we look to the future of Phoenix with renewed enthu-siasm and hope for a better quality of life for ourselves and, most importantly, ourchildren.

Mayor Skip RimszaCity of Phoenix

The city of Phoenixvoters made transit

history with the passingof Proposition 2000.

www.valleymetro.maricopa.gov Destinations is the official newsletter of the Regional Public Transportation Authority. Vol III Issue II, Spring 2000

August2000

Improvements

2003Improvements

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August Improvements On the WayThe first improvements to be seen by transit

passengers will be the implementation in August ofSunday and holiday service. For the first time inalmost 50 years, Phoenix will provide its citizens withan alternative means for traveling to church, to meetfriends and family on holidays, and to go shopping onSundays.

Saturday service will increase in August aswell. Five Phoenix routes will begin Saturday servicefrom 5 a.m. to 8 p.m: Yellow Line, 12, 44, 138, and 186.

Also in August, dial-a-ride service hours willbe extended from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdaysand from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and holidays.Response times for pick-ups will also improve. Newdial-a-ride vehicles have been ordered and areexpected to arrive before the August improvementsgo into effect.

In addition, a Citizens Transit Commissionwill be formed. Phoenix residents and communityleaders will be appointed to the commission by themayor and city council and will be responsible foroverseeing Transit 2000 improvements.

What the Future HoldsAs implementation of the Transit 2000 plan

continues, routes will start to run later in theevenings. Initially, service on most routes will beextended until 10 p.m. With the hiring of additionalbus opertors, service will be extended until midnight

on weekdays and Saturdays. A new neighborhoodcirculator mini-bus service will also be launched inAhwatukee and Desert Foothills.

As new buses are delivered, weekday bus ser-vice will gradually increase in frequency to at least 15minutes during peak travel hours and 30 minutes dur-ing off-peak hours. Bus routes will also be extendedfurther north and south, east, and west.

New facilities to be constructed will includethe South Central Avenue Transit Center, a newLNG fueling station at the North MaintenanceFacility, and two additional park-and-ride facilities.Additional passenger shelters and benches will beinstalled throughout the city.

In the third year of the plan, bus rapid transitservice will be implemented along I-17, SR-51, I-10west and south, and along Central Ave. to BaselineRd. Limited-stop service will also begin operating onCamelback Rd. and Bell Rd. as a demonstration project.

Work on the Central Phoenix/East ValleyLight Rail Transit (LRT) project will continue. Theproject will eventually traverse a 25-mile corridorconnecting Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. Route andstation placement will be examined and a study willbe undertaken to determine the project’s environ-mental impact. Construction of the light rail systemwill begin in the third year of the plan, with operation of the initial segment to commence in thesixth year. ¤

Phoenix Transit Plan a Go!

As election returns were announced on March 14, it quickly became clearthat a majority of Phoenix voters wanted transportation alternatives.We ve waited long enough, said Public Transit Director Neal Manske.Now is the time to move ahead-with vision. Manske credited the passage

of Proposition 2000 to the work of transit staff and campaign volunteers in educatingthe public. The citizens of Phoenix were able to separate the myths from the facts inapproving these positive improvements, he noted.

Buses for local and neighborhood service were ordered the day after the election and are expected to arrive within 18 months.

!Sunday & holiday service

!Increased Saturday service!Citizens Transit

Commission formed!New dial-a-ride vehicles

!Most routes operate until 10 p.m.!Mini-bus service in Ahwatukee

& Desert Foothills!Service extended until midnight

on weekdays & Saturdays!Frequency to 15 minutes during

peak travel hours & 30 minutes during off-peak hours

!Bus rapid transit service along I-17, SR-51, I-10

!Limited-stop service will alsobegin operating on CamelbackRd. and Bell Rd.

!Construction of the light rail system begins

Overview of thePhoenix Transit Plan Improvements

2001-2002Improvements

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The city of Phoenix will now have light rail.Thanks to Phoenix voters who recentlyapproved a 0.4% sales tax increase, the CentralPhoenix/East Valley (CP/EV) Light Rail Transit(LRT) project will continue.

The Central Phoenix/East Valley LRT project is examininglight rail routes, stations, and environmental impacts withina 25-mile corridor connecting Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa.Many factors determine whether planning projects like theCP/EV LRT Study can advance into design, construction,and operation. The most important factors are funding andpublic support for the project. With local support and dedi-cated funds in place, the LRT project can proceed.

The LRT study is currently nearing the end of the concep-tual engineering and draft environmental impact statement(CE/DEIS) phase. The next step in the progression of this process is the preliminary engineering and final environmental impact statement (PE/FEIS) phase.

Milestones in this phase of the project will include:

l Incorporating comments on the draft environmentalimpact statement and developing the final environ-mental impact statement.

l Examining environmental impacts from CentralAve./Indian School Rd. to Chris-Town Mall.

l Developing guidelines for station design.l Completing the station area planning

workshops series. l Shaping the art in transit program.l Integrating light rail into the community.l Determining operations and maintenance

facility/vehicle type. l Drawing construction plans/packaging.l Establishing fare collection policies.l Creating alignment design and aesthetics.l Finishing the traffic engineering plan.

The PE/FEIS is scheduled to be complete in the summer of2001. Construction of the starter segment will begin in 2003,and light rail will begin operating in 2006. A series of public meetings this spring will discuss the lightrail study including station elements, traffic impact studies, the art in transit program, and plans for regionalconnectivity. ¤

Light Rail in Phoenix & East Valley Moves Ahead

LRT Central Ave Mock-up

LRT Freeway Mock-up

LRT Mock-up in Tempe

For additional information about the LRT project: contact: Valley Connections hotline: (602) 534-1807 email: rail@vm.maricopa.gov

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Our Peers In Transit

Salt Lake City opened the newest lightrail system in North America late lastyear. The 15-mile system began

revenue service on December 6, 1999. Theproject came in under budget and ahead ofschedule. The total cost of the system was$312 million, of which $241 million was federally funded. Ridership on the new lightrail system has far exceeded expectations.Salt Lake City had projected that the systemwould attract 14,000 passengers per day bythe end of its first year in operation. Only twomonths after the system opened, ridershiphad already reached 20,000 passengers perday. On days with special events, ridershiphas been as high as 25,000 passengers per day. ¤

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Myth: Transit ridership in America has declinedsince the 1950's.

Fact: Total transit ridership in America increased20 percent between 1972 and 1995. Thisincludes bus, heavy rail, light rail, commuterrail, and demand-response users.(Source: American Public Transportation Association)

Ridership on the ten new light rail systemsthat have opened throughout the U.S. since1980 has increased by an average of 11.4percent annually since start-up.(Source: American Public Transportation Association)

Myth: Transit carries less than two percent ofregional travel.

Fact: Nationally, transit trips do account for roughly two percent of total regional travel.However, the following points should beconsidered in relation to this statistic.The two percent figure represents ALL travelin all metropolitan areas. It includes not onlypassenger vehicles trips, but also trips madeby service vehicles and delivery trucks.Transit, however, moves people, not goods.The figure also includes through-traffic oninterstate highways and other trips in areaswhere no transit service is provided. Transitservice is typically limited to significantlydeveloped areas. Moreover, since the twopercent figure represents travel over a 24-hour period, it includes trips made at timeswhen no transit service is provided. Mosttransit agencies do not operate 24 hours aday. (Source: Regional Public TransportationAuthority)

In Phoenix, along those corridors where thelevel of transit service is of a high enoughquality to attract riders, transit plays a majorrole in the effort to provide adequate mobili-ty for urban dwellers. For example, along the

Central Avenue corridor, which accounts forthe highest level of transit service and use inthe region, transit carries over 20 percent ofall peak-hour trips. (Source: Regional PublicTransportation Authority)

Myth: Only poor people use transit; it doesn'tattract choice riders.

Fact: Higher-income individuals do use transit.Seventeen percent of all transit riders in theU.S. earn incomes of $50,000 or more. Onaverage, 55 percent earn incomes above$15,000. (Source: 1999 American Public TransitFact Book).

Myth: Because light rail is a fixed facility it does notoffer flexibility.

Fact: One of the benefits of light rail is that it is afixed facility. As such, light rail offers a foun-dation for communities to build upon. Itoffers permanent facilities that attract devel-opment, aid the community by providingtravel opportunities, and encourage “smartgrowth” by creating land-use transportationsystem alliances.

Land values near Dallas light rail system,one of the newest such systems in the U.S.,have grown 25 percent faster than compara-ble properties that are located farther awayfrom the system. (Source: North Texas Center forEconomic Development)

Myth: It costs more to operate a light rail systemthan a bus system.

Fact: For light rail systems in the U.S., the average total operating cost per passengermile is $ .46. The operating cost per passen-ger mile for bus systems is $.54. (Source: 1997Federal Transit Administration Database) ¤

The Truths of Transit

New light rail system in Salt Lake City.

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Telework Trend KeepsMore Workers At Home

In the Phoenix area, more than62,000 residents work fromhome at least one day a week.This is up from 19,000 in 1993.Utilizing today’s improved tech-nology has certainly enhancedthe opportunity to avoid the

commute to theoffice everyday. Sixty-three percentof employedhouseholds

in this areahave pesonal computers and

more than 50 percent of thosehave internet access. All of thisis according to recent studiesconducted by WestGroupResearch to determine thepotential for advancing teleworkopportunities in the Valley.

Many local businesses and orga-nizations believe telecommut-ing, also known as teleworking,is an important strategy. In fact,half of Valley leaders inter-viewed for an RPTA telecom-muting research report statedthat it was integral to their organization. In these days of

tight laborpools andemployeeshopping fromone companyto the next

seeking betterpay and benefits, a telework

strategy makes good, soundbusiness sense.

Not only can offering teleworkingat a company enhance retention,it can also broaden that tightlabor market and give organiza-tions an attractive edge over thecompetition. Employers felt thatthe strongest positive impact oftelecommuting was the ability toaccommodate their employees’personal needs. Positive resultsof productivity and morale werenext on the list.

On the other hand,the biggesthindrancesto anexpandingteleworkprogram ismanagement.The study revealed that they areoften disinterested in trying toenhance their remote work pro-grams. Lack of trust is often acentral theme of their reluc-tance.

Knowing both the positive andnegative attitudes toward tele-working, the RPTA is able tobetter direct its efforts to pro-mote and educate about remotework and its benefits to a com-pany, its employees, and the community. ¤

For more information, call RPTA Rideshare at (602) 262-RIDE (7433)

Telework: A virtual realityfor the Valley

The drive to develop more tele-work programs in the Valley hasbegun. RPTA will launch theValley Telework Project in aneffort to get more companiesserious about implementing newprograms or strengthening exist-ing ones. Telework, also knownas telecommuting, is considereda practical and effective man-agement tool for today's fast-paced and competitive businessenvironment. Most businessesconduct day-to-day activities viathe internet or E-mail because itsaves time and money therebyallowing employees to be moreefficient and productive. That'swhat remote work is all about.

Watch for Local Telework Ad CampaignOne part of the special outreachand marketing campaign fea-tures local print and radio adver-tising and special mailings hop-ing to get the attention of CEOs,as well as commuters. The adsfocus on the benefits of teleworkfor both the employer andemployee and directs the readeror listener to seek more informa-tion about telework from theRPTA.

Free Telework Help for Local Organizations Continued development of tele-work programs will occur when10 to 15 companies are chosenthis year to receive free consult-ant assistance in exchange for case study information.Outreach will also occur throughlocal business and industryorganizations and chambers ofcommerce. By teaming withthese groups, RPTA can betterreach the business communityaccessing existing networks.

Watch for details on the ValleyTelework Project throughout2000. If you are interested indeveloping telework at yourorganization, call RPTA at (602) 262-RIDE (7433) ¤

According to Jack Nilles, the father of telecommut-ing, about 48 percent of today’s workers could betelecommuting at least part of the time, but only 10percent are doing so.

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L ast year’s success of GovernorJane Dee Hull’s Ozone AlertProgram was demonstrated withthe achievement of no ozone vio-

lation days. Much of this success can beattributed to the eager participation of the225 Valley organizations who helped reducetrips by an additional 10 percent on ozonehigh pollution advisory (HPA) days.

Why do we need Ozone 2000?The work to free the air of ozone betweenMay and September did not end last fall. In Maricopa County, we need three moreyears of no ozone violations to become redesignated for the attainment the of one-hour ozone standard.

l The redesignation process begins withADEQ and Maricopa County developinga SIP (State Implementation Plan) thatcontains: a periodic emissions inventory;volatile organic compound source infor-mation; and details of our monitoringnetwork.

l The SIP goes to the public for commentthen to the EPA for approval.

l Then a Maintenance Plan is developedand the request for redesignation toattainment status is begun.

The Plan includes a 1999 emissions invento-ry that determines future transportationconformity determinations; descriptions ofmeasures taken if the one-hour standard isviolated; and a modeling effort to show howthe area will remain in attainment of theozone standard for a minimum of 10 yearsafter redesignation.

How to get involvedLast year’s virtual workshop at each of theASU locations was so popular that it washeld again this spring. The Clean AirCampaign and Valley Metro Ridesharesponsored two Who Wants to BreatheClean Air workshops. New ideas and moti-vational materials were provided to helporganizations with promoting alternativemodes on HPA days.

Wells Fargo Bank is sponsoring a kick-off press conference for the summer ozone season on May 18 at The Buttes.Additional information is available by calling:(602) 262-RIDE. ¤

COMING SOON: An Ozone Alert Sequel

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Destinations is available on audio tape and in braille.If you know of anyone who might be interested inreceiving Destinations in either format, please callRPTA’s Lillian Duarte at (602)534-1937. Destinationsis the official newsletter of the Regional PublicTransportation Authority (RPTA). It is published with a circulation of approximately 6,000copies. We welcome your letters, comments and sug-gestions.

The RPTA is a political subdivision of Arizona overseen by a ten-member board of elected officials,and was created by voters in 1985 with the passageof Proposition 300. Membership is open to all municipalities in Maricopa County and to the County government.

The mission of RPTA is to promote the social and economic well-being of the community through anefficient and effective regional transit system as a valued and significant component of the transporta-tion network.

To receive future copies of Destinationsplease write or call:

Regional Public Transportation Authority302 N. First Ave., Suite 700Phoenix, Arizona 85003(602)262-7242

RPTA Board of Directors:

Chairman: Mayor Wayne Brown, City Of MesaVice Chairman: Mayor Cynthia Dunham, Town of GilbertTreasurer: Councilmember Pat Dennis, City of Peoria

Mayor Sam Campana, City of ScottsdaleCouncilmember Esther Flores, City of El MirageMayor Neil Giuliano, City of TempeCouncilmember Peggy Jones, City of AvondaleMayor Skip Rimsza, City of PhoenixMayor Elaine Scruggs, City of GlendaleSupervisor Don Stapley, Maricopa CountyMayor Jay Tibshraeny, City of Chandler

Managing Editor: Susan Tierney Story Contributors: Lillian Duarte, Angie Harvey,Terry Gruver, Mark MelnychenkoGraphics: Mike SmithPhoto Credits: Elizabeth Ellis, Laura Cherry

For more information visit our Web site: www.valleymetro.maricopa.gov

Regional Public TransportationAuthority

!The Summer 2000 Ozone Alert Camaign is funded by the Maricopa Association of Governments.

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This custom-designed bike rack features an imprint of the TempeHigh mascot.

Electric buses like this one will provide circulator service in theEscalante neighboorhood.

CitybyCity

South Central Avenue Transit Center

The estimated total cost of the SouthCentral Avenue Transit Center is $4.3million. Funding will come from a varietyof sources:

l federal congressional appropriationsl future local bond fundsl federal highway fundsl the Federal Transit Administrationl and other grant opportunities.

ValleyBike Rack Program Keeps Students RollingValley Metro Rideshare is spon-soring the High School Bike RackAward Program. The programoffers a specially designed bikerack to schools that assist theirown campaigns encouraging stu-dents to ride their bikes to campus. The program, whichseeks to reduce automobiledependency among studentsand their parents, is open to allpublic high schools in the Valley.Principals at these schools havebeen sent application materialsexplaining the program and itsgoals.Tempe High School is the firstschool to receive the custom-designed bike rack, which features the school's logo andcolors. The racks are constructedof heavy-gauge steel to withstandboth the elements and repeateduse over many years. They aredesigned to hold between 20 and24 bicycles. ¤

TempeTempe Set to Launch FirstNeighborhood Circulator RouteThe city of Tempe will launch itsfirst neighborhood circulatorroute in early August, utilizingstate-of-the-art electric hybridbuses. The free shuttle will servethe Escalante neighborhood andprovide connections betweenneighborhood activity centers,fixed-route bus stops on majorarterial streets, downtown Tempe,and Arizona State University.“The neighborhood circulator willhelp people get to importantplaces within their neighborhood,as well as helping them accessregular bus routes on the majorstreets,” Tempe Transit ManagerMary O’Connor said. “It’s allabout community connections–connecting people with theEscalante MultigenerationalCenter, Thew Elementary School,downtown Tempe, ASU, and theplaces they want to go.”The city solicited citizen involve-ment in planning the route, whichwill operate approximately every15 minutes from early morninguntil late evening seven days aweek.The circulator buses areequipped with quiet, clean-burn-ing electric hybrid engines withCapstone microturbines, whichrecharge the batteries andincrease the distance and thelength of time the buses can trav-el. The exteriors of the buses willbe decorated with designsreflecting the community by localphotographers and painters. ¤

For more information, please call Tempe In Motion at (480) 350-2739. ¤

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ityPhoenixArea's Potential Brings New Transit Center Last summer, President Clintontraveled to various parts of thecountry that he felt had particu-larly strong potential for econom-ic growth and development. Oneof the areas he visited was South Mountain Village inPhoenix because, according toClinton spokesperson ElizabethNewman, it is a "prime exampleof a market with great potential."The president's visit has led to anunexpected bonus for the SouthPhoenix area: federal funding fora new transit center that will serveSouth Mountain Village resi-dents. City transit plannersexpect bus ridership in the areato increase substantially in com-ing years. The new South CentralAvenue Transit Center will offer asafe and convenient transferpoint for this growing ridership.Most importantly, the new facilitywill provide greater travel oppor-tunites for those with limitedaccess to other means of trans-portation. Studies were conducted to findthe most appropriate site for thetransit center, and the northwestcorner of Broadway Rd. andCentral Ave. was ultimatelyselected. Ground breaking forthe South Central Avenue TransitCenter March 2001, and the cen-ter is scheduled for completionby December 2001. For more information, call theCity of Phoenix Public TransitDepartment at (602) 262-7242. ¤

The proposed South CentralAvenue Transit Center locatedat Broadway and Central, will

service passengers usingRoutes 0, 7, 8, 45, 52,

and the Blue Line.

BULK RATEU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPHOENIX, AZ.PERMIT NO.

386

Regional Public Transportation Authority302 N. First Avenue Suite 700Phoenix, Arizona 85003

Address Service Requested

A message from city ofPhoenix Mayor-Skip RimszaPhoenix mayor sends a message to residents about the exciting changes we'll soonsee due to the passage of Prop. 2000. Page 1

Phoenix Transit Plan a Go!Transit improvements begin inAugust with buses now operat-ing on Sundays and holidays-aservice that is long overdue.Also lined up: new buses ontheir way and dial-a-ride stepsup service. Page 2

In This Issue:

Telework Trend Keeps More Workers At HomeBusinesses have found that telework is a management tool that is smart and effective, especially when it comes to retention and recruitment of valuable employees. Page 5

Light Rail in Phoenix & East Valley Moves AheadPicture this: riding down CentralAvenue or from the East Valleyon a light rail train leaving thestress of your daily drive athome in the garage. Page 3

City by CityGet the latest transit news around the Valley in City by City. Page 7

VMT2359/5/00

Destinations is the official newsletter of the Regional Public Transportation Authority.

CITY BY

CITY

BBIIKKEE TTOO BBOOBB PPhhoottoo LLoogg

Valley Bike Week kicks off at Park Central Mall with Bike to BOB on Sunday, April 9 topromote bicycling and bike safety.

The Gonzalez triplets get ready for the rideby putting on bike helmets with momChristine's help.

The three mile ride winds it way throughSunday on Central.

In a surrey with the fringe ontop, the Gonzalez family andfriends ride a specially-builtbike for seven!

Four kids were chosen for the poster presentation on the field at home plate.

How much space does it take to store 500bikes? A lot! Bikes were secured in theCivic East Plaza garage until the post-gameride.

Alberto Gutier, Director of the Governor'sOffice of Highway Safety, makes the officialpresentation of the Gonzo bike safetyposter.

More than 500 riders gearup with a free continentalbreakfast provided by TheGood Egg.