While not quite on par with the historical significance of Promontory Point, last week’s announcement of Amtrak’s propose Tucson – Phoenix corridor would bring major changes to how Arizonans travel on a daily basis.
“This new corridor links the rapidly growing Phoenix and Tucson areas with daily multi-frequency service between downtown Tucson through Phoenix to the West Valley suburb of Buckeye,” according to Amtrak. And for those looking to head farther west, the corridor will extend on to Yuma and Los Angeles.
Supporters note the proposed thrice-daily service would reduce congestion on Interstate 10, while making it easier for residents of southern Arizona to get to Sky Harbor Airport, attend sporting events in Phoenix, or even commute to college or work. At the same time, the Tucson – Phoenix corridor provides transportation options for those who want to work in an urban area but live in a community farther out.
Amtrak officials say the Tucson / Phoenix corridor would require eight new stations bookended by existing Amtrak stations in Tucson and Yuma. The new stations would be constructed in Marana, Coolidge, Queen Creek, Tempe, Phoenix – Sky Harbor Airport, Goodyear – Avondale, and Buckeye.
Some of those stations would allow passengers to connect with the Phoenix area light-rail transit system.
It is the growth of the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas which is fueling the plans for a new corridor, according to Amtrak officials.
“The Phoenix metro area has added nearly 900,000 jobs since 2000 and has grown by 16% since 2010, ranking as the fasting growing city in the United States in 2019 and the fifth largest city in the United States,” according to Amtrak. “At the south end of the corridor, Tucson has added 90,000 jobs since 2000 and has grown by 4% since 2010, with a population of approximately one million residents.”
The proposal is popular with the mayors of 11 Arizona cities, who signed a letter last month urging Congress to get behind Amtrak and the new corridor, which could be operational in three years.
“We ask that you support Amtrak’s reauthorization proposal as Congress considers the future of surface transportation programs.,” the letter stated, adding that frequent and reliable passenger rail service “will expand economic opportunities and provide important regional connections between our cities and towns.”
The signors represent the cities of Avondale, Chandler, Glendale, Goodyear, Marana, Mesa, Oro Valley, Phoenix, Sahuarita, South Tucson, and Tucson.
Also benefiting from expanded Amtrak service will be students in Arizona who attend the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Arizona Christian University, and Phoenix College.
Meanwhile, the westward corridor to Los Angeles would provide extended service for Arizonans attending University of California-Riverside, California State University-Fullerton, California State University-Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University, University of Southern California, and University of California-Los Angeles.
The new corridor would also connect passengers to several of Amtrak’s service routes, such as the Southwest Chief, the Sunset Limited, and the Texas Eagle. Amtrak also has long-term plans for a Las Vegas / Los Angeles corridor.