Metro needs volunteers to get light rail rolling

Mike Branom, Tribune

October 25, 2008 - 7:20PM

Light rail’s inaugural weekend will stall on the tracks without volunteers.

(And electricity. But that’s taken care of.)

East Valley road work update

A. Loop 101 between the Loop 202 and Via de Ventura

Northbound Loop 101 reduced to one lane until 7 p.m. today.

B. Indian School Road between Pima Road and 81st Street

Indian School reduced to one lane in each direction.

C. Downtown Tempe

Several streets restricted from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today for SOMA Triathlon.

D. Southern Avenue at River Drive

Southern restricted to one lane from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily through Friday.

E. Alma School Road at Germann Road

Northbound and eastbound right-turn lanes restricted through Saturday.

F. Alma School Road at Ray Road

Various restrictions end Friday.

G. Alma School Road at Main Street

Northbound Alma School restricted on Monday and Tuesday.

H. Baywood Avenue from Power Road to 63rd Street

Lane restrictions on westbound Baywood.

I. Warner Road and Power Road

Warner restricted until Nov. 3.

J. Higley Road from Baseline Avenue to Queen Creek Road

Higley restrictions end Thursday.

K. Rittenhouse Road at Village Loop Road

Rittenhouse restricted until Nov. 14.

Got a commuting gripe?

Call the Gripe Line, (480) 898-6411, or send your complaints, questions or comments about commuting to gettingthere@evtrib.com or by regular mail to Getting There, Tribune, P.O. Box 1547, Mesa, AZ 85211.

Metro and Tempe are seeking volunteer support for the launch of Arizona’s first light-rail system Dec. 26-28. Manpower is needed because 200,000 people are expected to turn out for festivities along the 20-mile line.

Volunteers, or “Metro ambassadors,” will be asked to perform such key duties as greeting and queuing passengers at station platforms; providing information about the days’ events and how the light-rail system works; and monitoring for safety.

Metro ambassadors will receive training and a uniform, as well as an up-close look at the light-rail system.

Meanwhile, Tempe is looking for people to help staff its Dec. 27 party at the new Transportation Center.

Volunteers are needed to serve in the children’s activity and information booths, and assist with setting up and taking down booths. Shifts are available between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Volunteers will receive a long-sleeve T-shirt to wear at the event and to keep as a souvenir.

To sign up as an ambassador, visit www.metrolightrail.org/grandopening for the volunteer application and for more details on Metro’s grand opening plans. The deadline to apply is Nov. 14.

Tempe’s volunteer office can be reached at (480) 350-5190.

TEMPE IN MOTION HONORED FOR U-PASS

Tempe’s transportation program, Tempe in Motion, recently won an award for its ASU U-Pass print campaign.

The American Public Transportation Association honored the city with the first place AdWheel Award in the category of print advertisement brochure. Tempe in Motion was competing against public transit systems with 4 million to 30 million annual passenger trips.

Tempe in Motion devised the brochures to educate ASU students on the free transit pass program known as the U-Pass. The ads used humor to demonstrate the potential cost savings.

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