Metro Phoenix Transit/Transportation Developments - Page 393

CrestedSaguaro · #**7841** Posted **May 3, 2021, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

With baseball back I have been using the light rail for the first time in over a year. The sections adjacent to the front and the rear of the trains are roped off with a sign saying something about safety. What's up with that?

Sections are closed off for operator COVID safety.

exit2lef · #**7842** Posted **May 3, 2021, 10:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

With baseball back I have been using the light rail for the first time in over a year. The sections adjacent to the front and the rear of the trains are roped off with a sign saying something about safety. What's up with that?

The idea behind it is to create space between the operator and the passengers. It's done at both ends of the train because when the train reaches one end of the line, it doesn't actually turn around. Instead, the operator just moves to the other end of the train.

There are two huge flaws with this idea:

1) The operators are already in their own separate compartment. They have more protection than any of the bus drivers.
2) The reduced space in the train makes it more likely that passengers will come in close contact with one another.

This is one of those silly hygiene theater stunts that could have been forgiven in the uncertainty a year ago, but it's now time for Valley Metro to open the rest of the train, particularly with events like Diamondbacks games now occurring again.

CrestedSaguaro · #**7843** Posted **May 3, 2021, 10:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

2) The reduced space in the train makes it more likely that passengers will come in close contact with one another.

This is one of those silly hygiene theater stunts that could have been forgiven in the uncertainty a year ago, but it's now time for Valley Metro to open the rest of the train, particularly with events like Diamondbacks games now occurring again.

I just rode the LRT to the Dbacks game this past Saturday and there wasn't any social distancing being enforced at all. All seats were being taken up with no seats closed off or spacing in between with the exception of the above mentioned sections closed off for the operators. Not sure how long it's been like this as I rode about 2 months ago and seats were blocked off for social distancing.

exit2lef · #**7844** Posted **May 3, 2021, 11:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

I just rode the LRT to the Dbacks game this past Saturday and there wasn't any social distancing being enforced at all. All seats were being taken up with no seats closed off or spacing in between with the exception of the above mentioned sections closed off for the operators. Not sure how long it's been like this as I rode about 2 months ago and seats were blocked off for social distancing.

I've been riding for the past year, and I've never seen enforced distancing among passengers on light rail. I have seen that on buses, but never on trains.

combusean · #**7845** Posted **May 4, 2021, 1:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

This is one of those silly hygiene theater stunts that could have been forgiven in the uncertainty a year ago, but it's now time for Valley Metro to open the rest of the train, particularly with events like Diamondbacks games now occurring again.

Social distancing is not, at all, hygiene theater. COVID was spreading rapidly among VTA operators here. No reason to not give operators and riders extra protection.

exit2lef · #**7846** Posted **May 4, 2021, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

Social distancing is not, at all, hygiene theater. COVID was spreading rapidly among VTA operators here. No reason to not give operators and riders extra protection.

It is when the train operator is in an entirely separate compartment from the passengers, the level of separation exceeds what exists in buses, and there is displacement of risk from the operator to passengers.

combusean · #**7847** Posted **May 4, 2021, 4:05 AM**

Windows don't open on LRT however. Airflow is a good way to mitigate COVID.

It's also reasonable to have precautions when the traffic didn't demand the space.

exit2lef · #**7848** Posted **May 4, 2021, 12:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

Windows don't open on LRT however. Airflow is a good way to mitigate COVID.

It's also reasonable to have precautions when the traffic didn't demand the space.

With all transit employees having been given the opportunity to be vaccinated, I hope this will come to an end soon. If Valley Metro insists on maintaining this practice, I think the agency should, at a minimum, stop blocking both ends of the train. Instead, just block the end where the operator is located at the moment. When the train reverses at a terminus, the operator can tape the section near their area and remove the tape from where it was before.

Phxguy · #**7849** Posted **May 4, 2021, 10:20 PM**

Two small updates:

New HAWK signal at 7th St and Oak. This is in anticipation of the 5-story residences approved for that corner.

3rd Ave north of Osborn has been downsized to one lane in each direction. The bike lanes are freshly marked and buffered with an additional few feet of space.

exit2lef · #**7850** Posted **May 4, 2021, 10:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phxguy

New HAWK signal at 7th St and Oak. This is in anticipation of the 5-story residences approved for that corner.

There has been a HAWK at that intersection for a few years.

Phxguy · #**7851** Posted **May 4, 2021, 11:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

There has been a HAWK at that intersection for a few years.

Oops!

Not yet 30 and having memory issues. I guess the recent construction at that intersection has me misremembering. Never seen it used tbh!

combusean · #**7852** Posted **May 5, 2021, 12:10 AM**

I noticed they leased the old TASC building instead of demolishing it. Very bad sign for future apartment development.

biggus diggus · #**7853** Posted **May 5, 2021, 9:16 PM**

This is happening and I'm very happy about it:

https://www.phoenix.gov/streets/lanechanges/central

exit2lef · #**7854** Posted **May 6, 2021, 12:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

This is happening and I'm very happy about it:

https://www.phoenix.gov/streets/lanechanges/central

Wow. I remember hearing someone from the city talk about this as sort of a wish-list project a decade ago. I didn't expect it to go forward, so I'm pleasantly surprised to hear it's being contemplated. Although I'm fine with pedaling my bike slowly along the path, I know that doesn't work for faster cyclists and creates conflicts with pedestrians.

N830MH · #**7855** Posted **May 11, 2021, 4:48 AM**

Hi all,

Here's a video of Tempe Streetcar news:

https://youtu.be/SISM3yIvGIQ

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**7856** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:20 AM**

So I would assume they should start before the fall ASU semester?

N830MH · #**7857** Posted **May 11, 2021, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

So I would assume they should start before the fall ASU semester?

Yes, they could start service sometime in the Fall or Winter. Who knows??

Warren Peace · #**7858** Posted **May 13, 2021, 3:45 PM**

Just wondering if anyone has any news to share about Waymo possibly expanding into downtown Phoenix?

This autonomous vehicle rideshare service that has been operating exclusively in the Chandler/Gilbert/Tempe area might be expanding to downtown Phoenix. I have seen 2 Waymo vans driving the downtown streets a couple of weeks ago, and this week have seen 2 Waymo sedans driving downtown on 2 different days. These did not appear to simply be company vehicles, they were all equipped with visible mapping technologies and had single drivers with no passengers.

N830MH · #**7859** Posted **May 20, 2021, 10:59 PM**

Hi all,

Tempe Streetcar#2 has arrived in Phoenix yesterday. More to come!

N830MH · #**7860** Posted **Jun 3, 2021, 8:38 PM**

Hi all,

This is Valley Metro Siemens S700. Brand new light rail. It's so beautiful!

• Video Link

Enjoy!