Light Rail Project Reaches Major Milestone
Federal Record of Decision Keeps Project on Track for 2006 Opening
Feb. 2, 2003
The Valley's light rail project has received a green light from the federal
government that keeps it on track to open in 2006. At a community celebration
today at Patriots Square, Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza, who also chairs the Valley
Metro Rail Board, announced that the light rail project had received a Record
of Decision (ROD) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which certifies
that the project has satisfied all of the federal environmental requirements.
The ROD is required before the project can enter the final design phase.
"We're right on track for a light rail opening in 2006," said Rimsza. "The
Record of Decision is one of the most important milestones for the light rail
project because it is required in order for the project to move forward. We've
cleared this hurdle and now we're heading into the home stretch."
In the ROD, the Federal Transit Administration concludes that the Valley's
project:
1. Provides an alternative transportation mode in an area with high population
and employment
2. Increases access to major activity centers
3. Improves transit service in the high density corridor
4. Increases transit ridership
5. Improves transit travel times
6. Provides a reliable alternative to auto travel
7. Enhances use of transit through supportive land uses near stations and
8. Provides improvements in air quality.
Rimsza was joined by project partners, Tempe Mayor Neil Guiliano, Mesa Mayor
Keno Hawker and Glendale Vice Mayor Tom Eggelston, as well as Phoenix City
Councilwoman Peggy Bilsten who chairs the Phoenix City Council's Transportation,
Aviation, Transit and Technology Subcommittee and who was a champion of the
transit referendum in Phoenix. After the announcement, the mayors installed
the first sign marking the light rail route.
Once the project receives approval to enter the final design phase, only
one major milestone remains: receiving a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA)
- a commitment from the federal government that it will fund half the project.
Project officials cannot apply for a FFGA until at least half the design of
the project is completed. Officials anticipate receiving the agreement by
spring 2004, shortly before construction begins in April 2004.
"We're keeping our eyes on the prize - the Full Funding Grant Agreement
- and are moving full steam ahead to complete the requirements needed to receive
the FFGA in spring next year," Councilwoman Bilsten said. "We're confident
we'll continue to receive our share of federal dollars for this project, since
it already has the third highest federal funding level of any project in the
country at the same stage of planning and design," she added.
Currently, the project is approximately a third of the way through the design
work. At this stage, major decisions about the project have been made - including
the alignment and the location of stations and park-and-rides. The ROD allows
project officials to apply to enter the final design phase, in which the design
of the project elements is completed and included in construction bid documents.
Valley Metro Rail is a non-profit, public corporation overseeing the design,
construction and operation of the light rail system. The Valley's light rail
system is scheduled to begin construction in spring 2004 and open beginning
in late 2006.
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