Tempe has endorsed plans to build a streetcar line on Mill Avenue - and to figure out how to fund its $3.6 million yearly operating expense.
The City Council agreed Thursday to create a $160 million transit line on Mill Avenue that it expects to spur economic development.
Councilwoman Shana Ellis said she considered the 2.5-mile line a risk worth betting on, much like Tempe Town Lake, the Metro light-rail line or the Orbit neighborhood bus.
Mayor Hugh Hallman said he didn't consider the streetcar risky based on the development that the Metro line spurred on Apache Boulevard. The city spent substantial amounts of money on Apache for years without seeing any improvements - until the new transit line encouraged multiple new developments, Hallman said.
"I don't believe this is much of a risk," he said.
The line would run from Southern Avenue to Rio Salado Parkway, and a downtown loop would take it along Ash Avenue. Further study could eventually justify extensions on Rio Salado Parkway, on Southern Avenue to Rural Road, and perhaps down Rural Road to downtown Chandler, transit planners said.
Tempe resident Kolby Granville objected to the route, saying he supports transit but that Mill is the wrong place for a streetcar. The area along Mill and south of Arizona State University doesn't need higher density that a streetcar would encourage, he said, and he suspects Tempe would use eminent domain to take over land.
Hallman said Tempe isn't looking to forcefully take properties, just as it let private development decide what to build along Apache. The transit line will encourage redevelopment of declining shopping centers, including the long-struggling Danelle Plaza at the southwest corner of Mill and Broadway Road, Hallman said.
Tempe's approval will lead to federal review of the project, as about 70 percent of the cost would come from Washington, D.C., and the remainder from regional funding. Tempe would pay the operating costs, which it has not secured yet.
The city estimates it can fund $1.3 million of operating costs by refinancing debt, increasing transit efficiency and eliminating redundant bus service when the streetcar starts operating. Transit planners will consider closing the gap by looking at naming rights, charging transit users during special events, parking meter revenue, a special assessment district for commercial property along the route and by charging development fees. The City Council asked planners to study the feasibility of those options.
Also, planners will study exact track alignments, station locations and other design elements of a system that would start operating in late 2016.
First-year ridership is projected at 1,100 to 1,600 passengers a day, said Wulf Grote, Metro's project development director. But that could grow quickly, he said, based on a Seattle streetcar line that was projected to begin with 800-900 riders a day but rose to 2,500 a day in two years.
"We expect that type of growth to occur here," Grote said.
lauraaz posted at 9:06 am on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
Have our city council members lost their minds? Who needs a streetcar line down Mill Ave.? They say they want to spur development in the area, but the area is already fully developed and
primarily residential neighborhoods. We already have buses down
Mill, Orbit buses down College, so we don't need it.
So the real question is, who is going to benefit financially from
this? The only ones to benefit are going to be the owners of
Danielle plaza, and the few other commercial developments along this 2.5 mile route. Are there any connections between the
members of the city council or mayor and these commercial property owners? There must be something, because the people who live in this part of Tempe don't want or need this
street car line. Its time to send the entire city council packing. When are they going to learn that quality of life trumps making money for their old boys club of developers.
on my soapbox posted at 9:47 am on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
Why is such a thing needed? It isn't. It is difficult enough to drive down Mill Ave, let alone walk...and now to have to somehow fit a streetcar. No more driving on Mill Ave...but this is a main access to cross the lake. ...Not a good idea. What were they thinking? Oh yeah, they weren't.[ohmy]
Joysie posted at 11:12 am on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
You know that would be great!! That way you can cause Mill Ave to be inaccessible for all the people who love to stroll up and down it and stop into the little shops for interesting hard to find items. Oh and you can also cause half those little shops that have been there for years to go out of business!! You can destroy it much in the same manner you destroyed Central Ave in Phoenix! Good job and way to go!! Friggin morons.
TEMPEMAN posted at 12:13 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
Have you lost your minds? Do you think people really want to come to Mill Ave for anything? Why would this be better than the bus system that will not cost us 160 million? Who are you serving???
pdgoldy posted at 12:41 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
I don't see how a streetcar line down Mill Ave. has anything to do with any business redevelopment in the area. Leave Mill Ave. alone... streetcars have a tendency to get in the way of stuff. Mill Ave.
is too small to put streetcars on it anyway. A bad idea.
loubator posted at 2:45 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
It's about time! Kudos to the City of Tempe to take on this project and bring the Phoenix Metro area into the 21st century. Viable and accessible public transportation is the answer. Real cities have real transportation. I look forward to the future when I can travel the Phoenix Metro area via public transportation for a reasonable price. However, why isn't there a picture of the Metro Lightrail used for this story instead of a generic "Modern streetcar" photo? Can't the EV Trib get current pictures?
esteban posted at 7:41 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
I went to school with Hugh Hallman and he was pathetic back then and still is. Like saying they won't take over anyone's business or why even have a stupid line, Isn't bad enough that it is only one lane on Mill ave and now with a trolley it will be really bad. Just like the lame town lake that smells bad and has an unprotected dam that should have some sort of cover on it to increase its life span until it breaks again. Sad that tempeis so bad because of hugh and the others in charge. P.S. Hugh used to drive a rusty mustang in the 80's that had a rag for a gas cap. Tells you what a pathetic loser he was and still is.
esteban posted at 7:43 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
Thanks Hugh and the rest of the losers that run tempe, now you can destrow mill ave once and for all..
Your mayor is a loser and has no clue how to run a city unless it is into the ground and for anyone that post they are for this ?
Are you really that dumb ?
tededitedit posted at 8:46 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
I think this is a waste of tax dollars at the federal, regional, and city levels. It will be a very disruptive project to residents and businesses along the route. I just can't imagine where the ridership will come from. I guess some people will use it to go south from their hi-rise apartments to Walgreen's, Riazzi's, Fry's, the health spa, or the Yucca Tap Room. Those residents traveling north can already use the bus, the Orbit, walk, or bike. Those traveling by ambulance to Tempe St. Luke's Hospital will be delayed, especially during the extensive construction period.
desertchic posted at 9:46 pm on Fri, Oct 22, 2010.
This is my thought, check into what idiots back this and vote them out as they're not fiscally responsible. Tired of these idiots....
leggs1 posted at 7:12 am on Sat, Oct 23, 2010.
Wow, from the comments it would seem one must be a disgruntled and angry to post here. I think the city council is correct in that a light rail would bring people to Mill Ave. I guess readers have not been to Mill in a while, it looks like a ghost town.
truthMonger posted at 8:56 am on Sat, Oct 23, 2010.
Have we lost OUR minds by allowing this to happen?
AhwatukeeT posted at 9:32 am on Sat, Oct 23, 2010.
Another utter boondoggle. Don't people realize that money doesn't really come from Washington? Most of it comes from us. And 41 cents of every "federal" dollar is borrowed from the Chinese. Someday, somebody will have to pay it back.
We need to wean our public officials from the crack pipe of spending money we don't have on things we don't need.
Justaweful posted at 2:17 pm on Sat, Oct 23, 2010.
..."I guess readers have not been to Mill in a while, it looks like a ghost town".
Yeah, its because Mill Ave. bites. Not because there is no local rail system. All the rail system is going to do is add congestion to an already congested street. BAD IDEA. But then again, AZ is super famous for its bad ideas.
HoboJoe posted at 4:17 pm on Mon, Oct 25, 2010.
How many small businesses will the construction put under?
Also, like esteban, I too went to school with Hugh Hallman. I remember the junky yellow pickup he spray painted and then rolled on Pima Road. He was lucky he didn't kill anyone who was in the bed. Hugh has never been known for having a good idea.
jim85035 posted at 5:15 pm on Mon, Oct 25, 2010.
if you want to see how it doesn't generate business, ride the light rail
rdinTempe posted at 10:06 pm on Mon, Oct 25, 2010.
You guys are missing the whole picture.
First, they've been trying to close Mill Avenue to traffic for the last 10 years. This will allow them to do it. If you want to go downtown, you’ll walk or ride the trolley. This frees up land now being used for parking to be redeveloped for revenue producing real estate.
Secondly, follow the money. The biggest benefactor to the light rail on Apache has been ASU. They will also benefit from this. They can get more student housing built along Mill Avenue and fee up additional land being use for parking.
Hallman already said this. It's not a transportation solution. It's a redevelopment tool. The city could never get people to put money into Apache Blvd until the light rail was built. Now they're playing the same card on Mill Ave.
We can only hope that they want to use capital revenue and then need for us to vote on it, unlike the light rail.
AZAFVET posted at 12:51 pm on Tue, Oct 26, 2010.
As a South Tempe resident, I can not see how this project is going to of benefit to me or my neighbors. One of the charms of Tempe used to be the old town feel of Mill Avenue with the diversity of little specialty shops and casual atmosphere. Well as the franchise businesses moved in all that has changed. Tempe Town Lake is really nothing but an expensive basically useless body of water designed to , _____ _______ _______. you fill in the blanks. I seldom, if ever, go to mill avenue these days. Nothing special. Since we lost the Cardinals and the Fiesta Bowl there's no big crowds to provide income to support any expensive franchised businesses. The Ugly aluminum structures on the "lake front" makes the downtown area less appealing and now a streetcar to clutter one of the main thoroughfares into and out of Tempe is really a masterful waste of taxpayer money. Electric buses that could actually change lanes could serve the same purpose for a lot less money. Sorry Hugh you and the council blew it on this one. I guess I'll continue to avoid Mill if possible.
KCFAVS posted at 3:58 pm on Tue, Oct 26, 2010.
I agree with all the posted concerns. We can ALL think of A LOT better ways to spend money that would benefit all Tempe residents. Why not focus on improving what he have already?
160 million dollars would go a long way!
littlemissdangerous posted at 12:34 pm on Fri, Oct 29, 2010.
Kolby Granville you're my hero!