Glendale will consider light rail, transit route options

A light-rail line connecting downtown Glendale with the existing Valley Metro system is more than a decade away but city officials are gearing up to pick the best alignment for the $543 million project.

Glendale is putting together a committee to study the light-rail route or other options for improving mass transit in the city. That group is expected to report to the Glendale City Council in the late fall with a City Council decision on the best transit option and route expected in December or January.

How Glendale would link with existing system

The current 20-mile Valley Metro system extends from 19th and Montebello avenues to downtown Phoenix and east to Tempe and Mesa. The 19th Avenue route will extend another three miles to Dunlap Avenue by early next year. Another three miles of light rail in Mesa will extend the line east from Sycamore Street to Mesa Drive by this fall.

Glendale, Phoenix and Valley Metro are considering three routes to downtown Glendale:

■West on Glendale Avenue from 19th Avenue to 51st Avenue.

■West on Camelback Road to 43rd Avenue, north on 43rd Avenue and west to 51st Avenue.

■West on Camelback Road to 43rd Avenue, northwest along Grand Avenue to 51st Avenue and north to Glendale Avenue.

There are six different routes on the western end of the route in downtown Glendale with options that would veer off north or south of Glendale Avenue west of 51st Avenue and as far west as 58th Avenue.

The Camelback Road routes would go past Grand Canyon University.

Better bus service an option

It is not certain that light rail will be developed along the selected route. Another option is to increase the frequency of bus service and add express routes that do not stop at every intersection.

This bus rapid transit service would operate on whatever alignment is selected on Camelback Road or Glendale Avenue.

Improvements a decade away

Glendale, Phoenix and Valley Metro expect to decide on an alignment and preferred transit mode — light rail, a streetcar line or bus rapid transit — by early next year. Further project development would take place over the next three years.

Design of the transit system would take place from 2019-22 and light-rail construction would occur from 2022-25. The light-rail line would begin operating in 2026.

Construction issues

If light-rail is chosen, decisions must be made on whether to build the line down the middle of the street or along the curb.

Construction over three years would interrupt motorists along whatever route is selected and could hurt businesses by limiting access and creating traffic bottlenecks.

What's in it for Glendale

Wulf Grote, Valley Metro planning director, said light rail has spurred $7 billion in investment along the the 20-mile transit route.

Glendale leaders are hoping that light rail would help jump start redevelopment within the city's Centerline project along Glendale Avenue between 43rd and 67th avenues.

Light rail would provide additional transit options for residents, especially children, seniors and others who choose not drive automobiles. Transit also reduces automobile emissions.

There have been discussions of extending light rail to the Westgate Entertainment District but that is not within the scope of the current study.

How much would light rail cost?

The light-rail project or other transit options are budgeted at $543 million, said Cathy Colbath, Glendale assistant public works director. That includes these funding sources:

Federal — $340 million.

Glendale — $110 million.

Phoenix — $47 million.

Regional — $46 million.

Sources: Valley Metro, Glendale and Phoenix