The ‘Do It Yourself’ Rail Project

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by Tony Arranaga in Featured, News

UPDATE: links

A Phoenix business owner plans to energize a downtown arts and culture district by connecting a streetcar with the METRO light rail 20 mile starter line.

I blogged about the proposed route for the Grand Avenue Rail Project in this post. The plan calls for using a historic bus to carry riders from Central Station (Central and Van Buren)  to 7th Avenue via Van Buren. Riders will then transfer to a historic streetcar which will run along several blocks of northwest Grand Avenue. The line will end at 19th Avenue underneath the I-10 underpass. Many people who commute to Phoenix from the West Valley commonly refer to this area as the gateway to downtown.

I learned about GARP over the weekend and agreed to be on the charter Board of Directors. The project could have a huge impact in our urban core: Connect an outlying area of downtown with the established light rail and providing a convenient way for people to shop and dine in this part of town.

This story is relevant to this blog about the METRO light rail and the car-free experience in Phoenix. In full disclosure, please note that I agreed to help get this project rolling. As always, I’m excited to share the ways public and alternative transportation options are changing the landscape of our city.

On that note, the GARP concept is gaining speed, thanks in part to the popularity of light rail in the region, in addition to several artists, creatives and restaurant owners moving into the Grand Avenue Arts District (link). The merchants here see the value in connecting the existing light rail system with the neighborhood, especially since the system continues to be a popular mode of transportation.

Currently, Grand Avenue is in a renaissance period after falling on hard times several years ago. Abandoned motels tell the story of a once thriving destination. Today those properties sit amongst historic industrial buildings and storage yards, retail shops and restaurants. A vintage clothing store, two cafes, and several workspaces for creatives are just some of the businesses that occupy the buildings.

Thanks to the marketing efforts of the merchants and the neighborhood association, people in the Valley are starting to see a reason to visit Grand Avenue.

Several blocks away, thousands of people ride the light rail everyday through the heart of downtown. Those riders could deboard at Van Buren and Central and walk 10 blocks to the arts district on Grand, but anything more than seven blockd is considered a stretch even for the ambitious urban dweller.

This is one reason why Bob Graham, a Grand Avenue studio owner, is taking the ‘do it yourself’ approach instead of lobbying (and waiting) to get the cash strapped City of Phoenix to come up with a new transportation plan for his neighborhood. Graham created the Grand Avenue Rail Project and teamed up with Ernie Workman with the Arizona Street Railway Museum and the Phoenix Trolley Museum. The museum is an essential part of the project since it has access to the historic streetcar and bus which will be used for the line.

On Saturday, GARP decided on a charter Board of Directors which will start a strategic planning process and gain more support in the community. The group is identifying downtown and transit advocates that could help secure funding. Graham estimates the project could be built in four phases and cost approximately $10 million dollars.

“The issue of funding is so complicated,” said Graham who hosted the meeting at his studio located along the proposed streetcar route. Graham says there are eight to 10 grant sources that all have different criteria for the application process.

“You have transportation, education, pedestrian enhancements,” said Graham describing the types of grants available. “There’s a grant for everything.”

There’s also the possiblity of corporate sponsorships and a community fundraising element which Graham describes as a ‘mosaic of funding sources.’

The group will also focus on filing the necessary paperwork required by the state to be considered for non-profit status.

A friend of mine, Kyle Jordre, owns a working artist studio along the proposed streetcar line. There are a variety of reasons why Jordre likes the idea of a streetcar rolling past his studio.

“It’s necessary for Grand Avenue to survive” says Jordre. “Grand Avenue is just a bit too far for most pedestrians to walk from Central Station.”

Jordre Studio and many others are in the heart of the Grand Avenue Arts District which is 10 blocks from the closest light rail station at Central and Van Buren.

Jordre agrees the streetcar line could attract more pedestrians – in addition to more entrepreneurs – who want to open up shop in this part of town. A streetcar line could be the piece of the puzzle that creates a vibrant neighborhood spanning several blocks. Jordre sees these improvements as traffic calming. Commuters driving in from the West Valley will want to slow down and see what’s new and exciting in this part of Phoenix.

While many people would like to see this project built in a matter of months, the reality is that it will most likely be years before streetcars roll through this part of the city.

What’s your take on a streetcar system for this part of town? Do you think it will help the area? Do you think people will use the line?

Tags: GARP, Grand Avenue Rail Project, METRO light rail, PHOENIX LIGHT RAIL