Public can comment on PHX-TUC passenger rail, bus study

As the Arizona Department of Transportation continues to study the feasibility of a passenger rail line or bus service between Phoenix and Tucson, the agency is again calling on the public to provide input on the seven alternatives selected for further study.

In the year since the first public involvement campaign last fall, ADOT has identified six potential rail alternatives and one express bus alternative that could link the two metropolitan areas, while meeting demands for future growth and travel options along one of the busiest interstate corridors in Arizona.

Beginning Saturday, ADOT will participate in a series of community events in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties to reach out to community members and get ideas and opinions on the seven options currently under evaluation. The public also can participate through an online survey.

The survey and the complete list of outreach events can be found at www.azdot.gov/passengerrail. The public comment period runs through Dec. 15.

Along with the seven potential alignments, ADOT is studying sites for station locations. The alignments include system hubs located near downtown Phoenix and downtown Tucson, and each includes extensions beyond the system hubs that would link to the west Phoenix metropolitan area, as well as Tucson International Airport.