AZ Republic article: Red Line riders will have to switch to Light Rail

The bus shortage
Light rail's launch in Denver also caused a crunch aboard city buses.

When the light-rail system opened, Denver eliminated a significant portion of downtown bus service that ran along the same route as the rail line. The idea was to avoid redundant public-transportation service and save money.

Phoenix plans to eliminate the busy Red Line bus route that extends from north-central Phoenix to downtown via Central Avenue. The route has more than 9,500 boardings a day.

When Denver opened its system, it found that it didn't have enough trains to accommodate rush-hour demand. The city ordered new trains, which took 18 months to arrive. Meanwhile, Denver was forced to restore some of its bus service.

Debbie Cotton, transit director for Phoenix, said bus riders already are complaining to Phoenix transit officials that they don't want to switch to light rail when the Red Line disappears.

"People don't want the Red Line to go away," Cotton said.

Unless something changes between now and December, though, it will.

El recorte de autobus
El lanzamiento del tren ligero en Denver tambio recorto el servicio de los autobuses urbanos. Cuando el sistema de tren ligero comenzo a funcionar, Denver elimino una parte importante del servicio de bus en el centro de la ciudad que circulaba por la misma ruta que la linea de tren. La idea era eliminar servicio de transporte publico redundante y ahorrar dinero. Phoenix planea eliminar la concurrida Linea Roja que conecta el centro-norte de Phoenix con el centro a traves de Central Avenue. La ruta tiene mas de 9.500 embarques al dia. Cuando Denver abrio su sistema, se encontro con que no tenia suficientes trenes para acomodar la demanda en hora punta. La ciudad encargo nuevos trenes, lo que le tardo 18 meses en llegar. Debbie Cotton, director de trafico de Phoenix, dijo que los viajeros de bus ya se estan quejando a las autoridades de trafico de Phoenix de que no quieren cambiar al tren ligero cuando la Linea Roja desaparezca.

"La gente no quiere que la Linea Roja desaparezca", dijo Cotton.

A pesar de que, a menos que algo cambie entre ahora y Diciembre, desaparecera.

From What the Valley can expect from light rail by Casey Newton, Sept. 7, 2008.
De "What the Valley can expect from light rail", por Casey Newton, Sept. 7, 2008.