One year later

Posted on 27. Dec, 2009 by Tony Arranaga in Featured

Exactly one year ago today, tens of thousands of people  in Phoenix lined up on station platforms to ride the light rail for the very first time.  Shortly after that first day, I decided to leave my car in the garage and use the trains to commute to work. The experiment that was only supposed to last a month is still going strong one year later. You may recall last week, METRO celebrated the one year benchmark with a rider appreciation day.  However, I think it’s important to remember the official day as well.  I spent most of the morning going through old blog posts and noticed a common thread: the light rail improved the quality of life in our urban core.

How the light rail has improved the quality of life in Phoenix

The light rail is helping to attract new business which is creating a more vibrant downtown

Riding the light rail on long commutes provided me the opportunity be more productive while I let someone else do the driving

The light rail introduced me to alternative transportation (and the benefits)

Riding the light rail helped me save money

The light rail helped introduce me to others who are passionate about downtown Phoenix

The light rail, and alternative transportation, showed me how riding a bike outdoors is more fun than working out indoors.

Using the light rail helped me better connect with my city.

See you on the train!  -Tony

Tags: Downtown, METRO, one year, Phoenix, rail