State involvement with mass transit unclear, pending report
by Kathleen Stinson

ARIZONA – The state public transportation director is traveling around the state talking to residents about mass bus transit and light rail.

Director Jim Dickey told The Desert Advocate, however, he could not speak to specifics regarding his meetings and an upcoming report.

“I can only talk at the most general level before the governor reads the report, due on April 6,” Dickey said.

He pointed out that Gov. Janet Napolitano, in her State of The State address, gave the Arizona Department of Transportation 90 days to report on mass transit and commuter rail issues. ADOT has since held meetings statewide to gather public input.

According to Dickey, the governor’s interest in environmental and growth issues is behind the request.

ADOT met with local government officials, held public meetings and conducted about 40 interviews with private-sector “stakeholders” to discuss commuter mass transit over the past three months. The department is now in the process of compiling the information for the report.

Dickey said about 70 people attended the Phoenix meeting last week, where discussion focused mostly on regional issues and bus transportation “both pro and con,” but he would offer no further details.

Questioned as to what the state is doing about bus transit and commuter rail, Dickey was quick to say “in the past these have been regional issues handled at the county level.”

Asked if the public bus system extends to the North Valley, Dickey responded that he thinks it goes as far north as Loop 101 but said he was is not sure and referred The Desert Advocate to those who handle the buses.