Editorial board

The Republic | azcentral.com

When a program runs afoul of a segment of the people it serves, should the entire enterprise be scrapped?

That's essentially the question before Phoenix voters regarding light rail.

Proposition 105 on the Aug. 27 ballot seizes on discontentment by some over a planned light-rail extension in south Phoenix to halt not only that stretch of the line but all new expansion in the city.

It is a heavy-handed response that’s designed to upend the very existence of light rail.

The measure undermines Phoenix's comprehensive transportation plan, years of work on public transit and the will of voters who already gave their blessing to light rail in previous elections.

The “Building a Better Phoenix” initiative is deeply flawed for these and other reasons.

Foes of south central line have real concerns

But let’s start by acknowledging the anger and fear in pockets of south-central Phoenix that seeded Proposition 105.

Some businesses and residents oppose the 5.5-mile south central line. Many of them express outrage over Central Avenue going down from four traffic lanes to two and fret greater congestion. Others say construction will devastate their businesses.

Their concerns are real.

Pleas to the Phoenix City Council for redress — in particular, to keep the four-lane configuration — went nowhere.

Phoenix officials maintained that there’s no good way to widen the thoroughfare. And despite steps to limit the upheaval — including money to help ameliorate the impact on businesses, meetings with community leaders and residents to solicit feedback on how to develop the area — the city failed to sway the opposition.

That’s unfortunate.

Rail critics exploit a parochial controversy

The animus that followed helped create an opening for longtime critics of the trains to take a broader swing with Proposition 105.

The initiative is a clever, if deceptive, conceit: Vote down light-rail expansion and redirect the money to the more popular transit cause of street improvements and, to a lesser extent, bus services.

Architects of the proposal always intended it to be a referendum on light rail itself — not just the contested south central line. Fixing streets is a mere sweetener to vote yes.

It is telling that “Building a Better Phoenix” began as a measure to knock off light rail and raid the funding to hire more police officers and firefighters. Crafters figured it would be an easy sell.

That effort was abandoned only because some of the same activists opposed to the south central rail extension also balked at siphoning the money for police, with whom they have a strained relationship.

There's already flexibility to adjust light rail

Setting aside the political motivations, is there merit to halting all future light-rail expansion?

No.

First, the brouhaha over the south central Phoenix extension is not emblematic of a larger problem. Over the past year, the Phoenix City Council has voted to shelve, and effectively kill, two planned light-rail extensions.

Opposition by businesses played a major role in the most recent decision. The council elected to use the money instead for road repairs.

The two votes demonstrate there’s already flexibility for the council to amend, delay or scrap altogether light-rail expansion as circumstances dictate.

We need to expand light rail — not curtail it

Beyond that, light rail is a 10-year-old system now stretching 19 miles that connects Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe, with a dedicated ridership that includes ASU students, downtown workers and sports fans to nearby venues.

It’s a necessary cog in the public transit system, as important as freeways and buses and Dial-A-Ride options. A major metropolitan area like ours deserves, and needs, an expanded version of light rail — not a curtailed one.

Further, passage of Proposition 105 would mean the death of any exploration of other high-capacity transit such as commuter trains or more nimble rapid streetcars. It promises more gridlock and fewer transportation options.

Naysayers' arguments old, previously rejected

Proponents of the initiative disagree. But in so doing, they have been redeploying the same criticism made against light rail over the past decade and a half:

It is expensive to build and operate, ridership is minuscule, it has minimal impact on traffic congestion, it increases crime, it’s a colossal waste of money. The assertions are exaggerated or debatable — except the exorbitant costs.

Each mile of track costs upwards of $130 million, sometimes tens of millions more. But that, too, requires context. The amount includes acquisition of land, installation or replacement of utility lines, landscaping and road improvements. And a majority of the capital funding comes from the federal government.

More importantly, voters heard those same criticisms and nonetheless approved a transportation plan that included light rail. And in three elections, no less.

They shouldn’t have to reaffirm their decision yet again. But here we are.

A resounding “no” vote on Proposition 105 may finally set light rail on solid ground.

This is an opinion of The Arizona Republic's editorial board. What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor to weigh in.

Deadline on registering to vote

Last day to register: July 29, Monday

How to register online: The Arizona Secretary of State's Office. Go to azsos.gov/elections.

How to request voter registration form: Call the Maricopa County Elections Department at 602-506-1511. Or go to Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St., main lobby, the City Clerk Department, 15th floor.