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Chandler celebrates bus link to light rail

Arizona Avenue buses to provide city, Gilbert better regional transit

by Edythe Jensen - Jan. 21, 2011 03:06 AM

The Arizona Republic

The new Arizona Avenue buses that will give Chandler and Gilbert their long-awaited connection to light rail won't be running until Monday, but city officials spent an hour Wednesday afternoon celebrating.

The street-side gathering around an art-adorned downtown Chandler bus stop had civic leaders making thank-you speeches before they ceremoniously cut a big red ribbon with giant scissors.

Local musicians strummed guitars and sang about bus riding; there were free cookies, bottled water and a table filled with bus literature.

"Arizona Avenue is really noisy, but I guess that's a good thing," said Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny as he shouted above the din of passing cars and trucks. He credited his predecessor, Boyd Dunn, and Councilwoman Trinity Donovan for joining regional transit talks and promoting the service during tough economic times. Similar plans in other cities were put on indefinite hold when tax revenues fell.

Gilbert Councilman Les Presmyk touted the route as something that will ease work commutes and entertainment jaunts for town residents. "Until the Phoenix Suns become the Gilbert Suns there are some venues we'll need to travel to," he said after promoting downtown Gilbert restaurants.

When the service along Arizona Avenue from south Chandler to west Mesa's light-rail station starts Monday morning, it will do more than give Southeast Valley residents a better mass-transit alternative to neighboring cities. Chandler residents who take express buses to work in downtown Phoenix from the city's park-and-ride lot near McQueen and Germann roads won't have to head straight home from the office, said former Chandler transit planner Mike Normand, who works for the Arizona Department of Transportation and came to the festivities. The later Link hours tied to light-rail schedules will give them a chance to stay for evening events and still take the bus.

Winter visitors Bud and Wanda Nelson said they were driving through downtown Chandler and decided to pull over when they saw the fanfare and were glad they did. Bud, 85, and Wanda, 82, spend their summers in Iowa and winters in Chandler. "Absolutely, we'll try it; it looks great," Wanda said.

All 20 stations along the route are designed to allow breeze and shade in the summer yet provide warmth from winter sun. Only those in Chandler, however, incorporate art. Two at Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard are powder-coated metal leaf sculptures designed by local artist Joan Waters. Others in Chandler have lighted "art boxes" that display the works of other local talent.

Bus-arrival information at each station gives real-time information to waiting passengers; those with impaired vision can push a button to hear that information. Valley Metro spokeswoman Susan Tierney said the service is testing an online bus tracking system for mobile users that will show bus locations in real time. The service also is trying to lure new passengers with a "how to ride" feature on the website.

Some things won't be in place when buses start running Monday. The fare vending machines planned for 12 of the 20 stations won't be installed until April, Tierney said. Until then, the more economical advance tickets must be purchased at participating retailers, colleges and utility outlets.

Artist Waters said parts haven't come in yet for lights that will illuminate a modernistic circular sculpture at the station.

But that doesn't dim Dale Steiner's enthusiasm. The Chandler dentist and avid cyclist takes the bus when he volunteers at a charity dental clinic in Phoenix and looks forward to catching the Link less than a block from his office. He was on hand for Wednesday's festivities, dressed in cycle gear and showing spectators how easy it was to load a bicycle on the bus rack.