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Mesa gets federal funding for light-rail extension

$75 mil may hasten route to Gilbert Rd.

by Gary Nelson - Oct. 12, 2012 10:12 PM

The Republic | azcentral.com

Mesa is unveiling a creative funding scheme to finance an extension of light rail east of the city's downtown, possibly hastening the day when trains will serve its booming airport.

News that Mesa has found a way to lay tracks to Gilbert Road came as the nation's top transportation officials visited the city Friday to seal the deal on federal funding for a 3.1-mile extension of the line through downtown.

Ray LaHood, the federal transportation secretary, and Peter Rogoff, the federal transit administrator, signed documents in a ceremony at the Mesa Arts Center committing Washington to $75 million in grants for the first extension, which will run to just east of Mesa Drive.

Work on that leg already is under way, but until Friday, Metro light rail had no certainty that Uncle Sam would actually cut the check.

"I'm here to announce that we're going to provide $75 million to expand transportation in Maricopa County," LaHood said, lauding Valley leadership and taxpayers for having the vision to build the $1.4 billion, 20-mile light-rail "starter" line that opened in 2008.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith pointed out that just a few yards from the site of Friday's ceremony, the first of four colleges setting up shop in downtown Mesa already has opened a student-services center.

"They would not be here without light rail," Smith said. [So light rail pork will help subsidized the unconstitutional religious colleges which are being brought to Mesa and subsidized with taxpayer money which is in violation of the Arizona Constitution]

While the signing was largely a formality, fresh news about the Valley's light-rail system emerged as Mesa officials prepared to brief City Council members Monday on financing for an additional 1.9 miles, from downtown's eastern edge to Gilbert Road.

That part of the system was not included in the regional transportation plan that Maricopa County voters approved as part of Proposition 400 in 2004.

But about four years ago, Mesa began lobbying for the Gilbert Road extension, and Metro light rail agreed it was a good idea after ridership surveys found running the tracks that far east would add 4,000 people a day to the system. [Let's see 4,000 people pay $3.25 to ride the train which costs $20 to operate per ride. That means the taxpayers are losing $16.75 for each ride, times 4,000 people that loss is $67,000 a day or $24,455,000 a year.]

"The reality is that Mesa Drive is not a natural end of the line," Smith told The Republic earlier this week.

Gilbert Road is, he said, because it is one of Mesa's major north-south arterials and the commonly perceived dividing line between east and west Mesa.

"If you're east of Gilbert (Road), the fact is that, psychologically, you're going to be less disposed to drive to Mesa Drive for a park and ride," Smith said.

The problem with running the tracks to Gilbert Road, however, was money. No funding source had been identified, and Mesa knew that Valley cities scheduled for their own light-rail projects would be unhappy if the Gilbert Road extension jumped to the front of the line. [Translation, if we tried to steal this money from the Mesa taxpayers, they would tar and feather us. So we will get Uncle Sam to steal the money for us!]

Mesa's solution borrows from the concept the city used when it accelerated construction of Loop 202 and Arizona 24, also known as the Gateway freeway, building vital roads years ahead of schedule.

Mesa facilitated those projects by issuing bonds to be paid off with transportation money the city will receive. Not only are roads built sooner, but the region saves millions of dollars in future construction costs.

Scott Butler, who specializes in intergovernmental relations for Mesa, said savings in Arizona 24 alone will amount to $100 million.

Mesa, the only Valley city to use that method to speed freeway construction, now is applying it to light rail. The city would issue bonds for $112 million and give the money to Metro light rail for construction.

Mesa will repay the money over time, using dollars it will receive through regularly scheduled allotments of federal transportation funding.

That money had been scheduled for several expensive street projects in Mesa, including one that would have turned Higley Road into a north-south parkway with access only at major intersections.

Mesa officials told The Republic that those projects are either no longer needed, are already completed or are scheduled to be financed by developers as subdivisions take shape.

Using the money for rail instead of roads, and building rail years early, will save taxpayers millions of dollars, Mesa officials said. [That is 100 percent BS. The roads will still be needed and the money will be still spent on the roads, this is just a lame excuse for wasting $100 million on light rail that will only transport a faction of the people the roads will transport]

Mesa emphasized that its proposal, which still needs clearance from regional and state planning agencies, will not affect light-rail extensions in other cities.

"No other jurisdiction will be hurt," said Dennis Kavanaugh, a Mesa councilman who represents the city on the five-person Metro light rail governing board.

Much more than increased ridership is at stake in the Gilbert Road extension.

With Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and its surrounding area expected to become a powerful economic engine in coming decades, planners have long anticipated future rail service there.

"The long-term destination will be the Gateway area," Smith said. "You've got to get to Gilbert Road, though, before that becomes a discussion."

Once that happens, Smith anticipates the conversation will quickly turn to the next leg of light rail, which he expects will run south on Gilbert Road to U.S. 60. From there eastward, Smith believes the rail system would become more of a high-speed line.

As a side benefit of light-rail construction, Smith and others believe Main Street from the city's western border to Gilbert Road will see a major spurt of redevelopment.

"Light rail will be a magnet for development," Smith said. "That's not a wish anymore. It's a proven fact."

Mesa and Metro light rail now expect construction on the Gilbert Road leg to begin even before work is finished on the first extension.

Service from Sycamore Street is to begin in late 2015, and service to Gilbert Road is set to begin by late 2017. Because no funding had been identified, planners had not, until now, ventured to guess when the Gilbert Road leg might open.

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