Comments on: Phoenix Opens Light Rail System http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/12/31/phoenix-opens-light-rail-system/ News & commentary on sustainability, activism, urban planning, politics, and our world. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:32:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tom Schueneman http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/12/31/phoenix-opens-light-rail-system/comment-page-1/#comment-7627 Tom Schueneman Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:33:02 +0000 http://ecolocalizer.com/?p=1067#comment-7627 It's interesting that Phoenix did have a trolley system sixty years ago, long before it became the sprawling urban metropolis it is today and right about the time the whole nation became car-crazed. I think this is the case for a lot of cities - they tore out their trolleys and light rail built in the early 20th century, only to rebuild them decades later. It is too bad that city planning in many urban centers has thus been built around the car. We'll see how Phoenix takes to their new light rail. My Grandparents used to live in Mesa - I can tell you it gets very, very hot down there! It’s interesting that Phoenix did have a trolley system sixty years ago, long before it became the sprawling urban metropolis it is today and right about the time the whole nation became car-crazed. I think this is the case for a lot of cities – they tore out their trolleys and light rail built in the early 20th century, only to rebuild them decades later.

It is too bad that city planning in many urban centers has thus been built around the car. We’ll see how Phoenix takes to their new light rail. My Grandparents used to live in Mesa – I can tell you it gets very, very hot down there!

]]> By: Becky Striepe http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/12/31/phoenix-opens-light-rail-system/comment-page-1/#comment-7619 Becky Striepe Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:33:18 +0000 http://ecolocalizer.com/?p=1067#comment-7619 Phoenix sounds like it's suffering from some of the same issues as Atlanta: crazy traffic, crazy sprawl, crazy heat in summer. Ridership here seems to follow gas prices more than weather. When gas got near $4/gallon, my morning commute was suddenly far more crowded! Phoenix sounds like it’s suffering from some of the same issues as Atlanta: crazy traffic, crazy sprawl, crazy heat in summer. Ridership here seems to follow gas prices more than weather. When gas got near $4/gallon, my morning commute was suddenly far more crowded!

]]> By: Global Patriot http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/12/31/phoenix-opens-light-rail-system/comment-page-1/#comment-7599 Global Patriot Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:14:25 +0000 http://ecolocalizer.com/?p=1067#comment-7599 Bravo for finally getting a rail system running in Phoenix, though it's sad that such systems weren't being developed across the country for the past 50 years - NYC excepted - as our cities would have grown based on rail access instead of ribbons of concrete and asphalt. The summer heat issue is a big one in Phoenix and it will be interesting to see how ridership varies throughout the year. Bravo for finally getting a rail system running in Phoenix, though it’s sad that such systems weren’t being developed across the country for the past 50 years – NYC excepted – as our cities would have grown based on rail access instead of ribbons of concrete and asphalt.

The summer heat issue is a big one in Phoenix and it will be interesting to see how ridership varies throughout the year.

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