It wasn’t too long ago that the Metro Light Rail first gave Valley residents a way to travel across the Phoenix area. Soon, light rail passengers will be connected to the rest of the world.
Starting in 2013, the stop at 44th and Washington streets will connect commuters to the PHX Sky Train, an automated train that will carry passengers through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
“It will be very easy and very convenient,” Sky Harbor Airport spokeswoman Lexie Pierce said.
The first stage of a two-part construction process is underway. This portion of the track will span 1.7 miles with three stops, beginning at the Metro Light Rail, which lies north of the airport. The train will run south through the airport making a stop at the east economy parking lot, and will then head west toward Terminal 4.
Stage two is projected to be finished in 2020, and will extend an additional 3.2 miles west, connecting other terminals as well as the airport’s rental car center.
Each three-car train will run every three to five minutes and will hold 160 passengers, Pierce said.
The project has been in the works for many years, Pierce said. PHX Sky Train and the light rail have been built to accommodate the Valley’s growing population.
“Growth projections say the roadway system will reach capacity in just six to eight years,” she said. “It’s one of those things we have to build now for the future”
Studies have shown an automated train is the best way to move people though the airport, she said.
“The Sky Train is the most effective and efficient way to keep peace with expected growth as well as maintaining customer service level,” Pierce said.
Major American cities that already have airports with automated trains include Chicago, Denver, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
The benefits are plentiful, Pierce said, and the rail could minimize car congestion by taking an estimated 20,000 vehicles off the roads every year.
“It will definitely make a big impact,” she said.
Some travelers at Sky Harbor Airport are excited at the prospect of the PHX Sky Train becoming a part of their travels.
“I’m surprised Phoenix doesn’t have one already,” said Denise Mathers, a tourist visiting from Maryland. “It makes getting to the airport less of a headache.”
The PHX Sky Train may not only help visitors to the area, but it could also help Valley residents.
“I won’t have to pay an obscene amount of money for parking,” Valley resident Mark Simon said. “I’m happy our growing city is finally catching up to mass transit.”
Reach the reporter at ktenagli@asu.edu
