A long-discussed plan for a proposed passenger rail system linking Tucson and Phoenix has many more hurdles to clear, starting with where the money would come from. An important first step, however, is sharing your opinion on it.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on an environmental report detailing three alternatives for passenger rail, including a recommended route.
The deadline for comments is Oct. 30.
The Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement, which ADOT developed in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, considers two possible routes to identify the most appropriate rail corridor between Tucson and Phoenix. It also assesses the option of not building passenger rail.
The recommended route, the Yellow Alternative, would pass through the East Valley and central Pinal County. It could, where appropriate, share right of way with the Union Pacific Railroad north of Eloy.
An Orange Alternative would pass through the East Valley and share part of its alignment with the planned North-South Freeway Corridor in Pinal County.
Both routes would run primarily within the I-10 corridor between Eloy and Tucson.
A No-Build Alternative assumes that all proposed highway projects currently funded within the study corridor would be built.
Additional environmental work and site-specific studies would be required before a rail system could be constructed. It will be up to the public, stakeholders and policymakers to decide whether the project should move forward and, if so, how to pay for it.
The Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement is available for download at the ADOT webiste.
