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PHOENIX - Valley Metro's investments in its light rail system appear to be paying off, with a recent rider survey reporting positive numbers for safety and usage.
By the numbers:
The agency has spent $4 billion on the system since 2008 and is now seeing a return on that investment.
Ridership on the light rail is back to pre-pandemic levels and rising, increasing 21% year over year to 45,000 daily weekday riders. A vast majority of surveyed riders reported feeling safe on the system, citing more visible security officers and cleaner stations.
Unsafe situations on the light rail dropped by more than 50% over the last year.
Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa all contribute sales tax to Valley Metro, which also receives federal funding and raises about $6 million annually from its $2 fares.
What they're saying:
"I love the ease of it," one rider said, while another noted that using the rail is "a great way to get in and out of downtown," avoiding difficult parking.
At a city council meeting, transit executives pointed to a $20 billion return on investment, attributing it to a massive wave of development that has reshaped the corridor across the three member cities: Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa.
"It’s very easy to say this isn’t worth the investment, this isn’t where we think economic impact is going to be, but I think the proof is in the pudding as of today," Phoenix City Councilmember Laura Pastor commented.
‘It was a ghost town down here 25 years ago’
"I’ve seen downtown change leaps and bounds," said Adrian Ruiz, chief safety and security for Valley Metro. "It was a ghost town down here 25 years ago after 5 o’clock, no one here. I even wondered, ‘Really? There’s going to be people who want to live here?’ Absolutely!"
What's next:
Valley Metro’s current goal is expansion.
Next projects include the Capitol Extension, which will connect the Arizona State Capitol, and the 10-mile I-10 west extension, which will link the West Valley to the rail system.
Both projects are in the early planning stages.