Monday At The Market is a post from: Rail Life

Are you one of those people that is not a big fan of Mondays? You know, a busy beginning to a very hectic week after an awesome weekend… Well, you’re in luck because Mondays no longer have to suck. Take a deep breath and head over to the Phoenix Public Market. This treasure of a spot really does have something for everyone. They rock the open air market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, they have some amazing food, a very cool beer and wine selection, awesome produce and goods from local artisans, food truck Fridays and a great little coffee shop on site. Seriously, if you are living in a cave and don’t already know about this place, come on out and take a look. Need a good excuse for a happy hour? Give em’ a try for that, too.

The Phoenix Market is a beautiful place

PHOENIX PUBLIC MARKET URBAN GROCERY AND WINE BAR ANNOUNCES NEW HOURS OF OPERATION

Store Will Now Be Open for Business on Mondays:

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX–Urban Grocery and Wine Bar at the Phoenix Public Market, a program of Community Food Connections, announced new hours of operation today which includes for the first time being open on Mondays. Starting today the new hours are as follows:

Monday -Friday: 10 am – 7 pm (Wednesdays the store will be open until 8 pm)

Saturday: 7 am – 6 pm

Sunday: Closed

For more information please visit www.phoenixpublicmarket.org. The Phoenix Public Market’s Urban Grocery and Wine Bar is located at 721 North Central Avenue / 14 East Pierce Street – 3 blocks south of Roosevelt Street and the light rail stop.

The map below shows the location of the Phoenix Public Market. It’s a very easy destination via the light rail, and they have recently installed some great bike racks, as well. If you drive, parking is also available. You don’t need to live downtown to enjoy all of the great things they have to offer. Just do yourself a favor and get there. Even on a Monday.

View Light Rail Drinks in a larger map

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – January Boat Rides Don’t Suck is a post from: Rail Life

I took this pic a few weeks ago when I was down by Tempe Town Lake with my kids. Yesterday, I was reminded about it when talking to my cousin who lives in Chicago. Interestingly enough, it was a gorgeous day in Tempe today. High 70’s with plenty of sunshine and a nice breeze is hard to beat. In Chicago? Scattered snow flurries, probably a bit chilly on the lake.

Go on out and enjoy the weather. Take a walk, rent a boat, have some fun.. If you live near the light rail line, just exit at the Mill Avenue station and head North to the lake. Easy as pie…

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

Plan Ahead If Riding METRO Tomorrow is a post from: Rail Life

Remember when a portion of the light rail line was shut down because of some work being done at Freeport McMoRan? Well, guess what… There will be similar similar delays tomorrow as a helicopter will be flying around Downtown Phoenix.

Here’s part of the scoop from METRO:

Helicopter Lift at Central/Washington

01/29/12 05:00 AM – 01/29/12 01:00 PM – Slight delays to light rail

Due to a helicopter lift on a building near Central Ave. and Washington St. in downtown Phoenix, METRO light rail service will be slightly impacted on Sunday, January 29, morning. Trains will not stop at the Washington/Central Ave. station between 5 a.m. and approximately 1 p.m., but service will continue. The two nearest stations to board or de-board from are the 3rd St./Washington or Van Buren/Central Ave. Service both east and westbound should only be impacted during the actual lifts, which could suspend service for a few minutes. Please give yourself extra time to arrive at your final destination. Thank you for your understanding.

The map below shows the areas they are talking about. As you can see, the stations are pretty close together along this portion of the light rail line so using a different station probably won’t kill you. Hopefully, the delays won’t be too bad, just plan on your trip taking a little longer if riding tomorrow. Heck, just take the opportunity to sit back and watch the helicopter flying overhead. :)

View Phoenix Valley METRO Light Rail Map in a larger map

Time To Talk Tempe Streetcar Again is a post from: Rail Life

So, here’s a meeting you might not want to miss if you are interested in learning more about the proposed Tempe Streetcar project.

The meeting looks to be about design guidelines for the look and feel of the stations. While this is cool stuff to know, there is sure to be a person or two in attendance looking to find out how they will be funding the project.

Of course, you can follow along with the Tempe Streetcar project via the City of Tempe Streetcar page and the METRO Streetcar page, as well.

Provide input on Urban Design Guidelines for Tempe Streetcar

METRO invites you to attend a public meeting to review and comment on the Urban Design Guidelines (UDG) for the 2.6-mile Tempe Streetcar project that will serve the downtown and Central Tempe community.

The UDG is a document that will provide the future project designers with guidelines for how the streetcar stops should look, including concepts for seating, lighting, platform paving treatments, canopies, etc.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

200 E. 5th St., Tempe, 85281

So, let’s talk Tempe Streetcar at the meeting. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Is this the right route? Will it benefit the area? What are YOU hearing about the project?

Real Estate Market Says Go For A Walk is a post from: Rail Life

Most of us know the importance of walk ability when it comes to choosing a place to live. As we’ve said before, it seems like more people in the Phoenix Metropolitan area are becoming aware of a more urban lifestyle, but most still prefer to drive.

We’ve heard a lot about the trend to build infill developments in urban cores for several years now. Who knows, the time may be right. In our area and across the country, people seem to desire the convenience and time-saving aspects of living in walk able neighborhoods.

“Six in 10 adults said they would rather live in a neighborhood that featured a mix of houses, stores, and businesses within an easy walk” – 2011 Community Preference Survey

Living, working and playing close to home can be convenient and cost effective. Around here, many people are surprised to discover how few choices we really have, though.  Affordable housing near the light rail line is scarce, off-campus housing for ASU students can be difficult to find, and seniors have limited options, as well. Yes, thousands of homes and apartments are scattered along the 20 miles of our light rail system, yet true urban and walk able experiences are much more limited than those found in other cities.

As we see new infill projects come to life, I believe it will help many aspects of the market. While people love the ( hard to find ) single family housing neighborhoods close to convenient transit options, there is also a clear need for mid level, multi purpose developments where restaurants, shops and offices share space with residential components.

Lord knows we have plenty of infill spaces in the Valley. As one of the major sprawl centers of the universe, Phoenix grew for decades, leaving many smaller yet great spaces unattended to. Along the 20 mile stretch of our light rail line you won’t ride for long without being able to see many desirable locations where quality development is just waiting to happen. And happen it will:

Think about it. Demand for homes and business along the line has been high, yet choices remain lower than many realize. When you think about walking somewhere in our towns, the areas in downtown Phoenix, the Mill Avenue District and a few others are considered pretty convenient and easy to get around. For instance, I can easily walk from the light rail station on Mill Avenue and head down to a place like La Bocca with no problem. It takes just a few minutes to walk there, and the many places I see while on my way make for a much more pleasant journey. On the other hand, if someone walks from Lux in Phoenix to the George and Dragon, the amount of “dead space” on the way makes the walk seem so much farther.

As we continue to grow and as we continue to see even more urban spaces become available, I believe we will continue to see some great things happening along the line. Homes, entertainment, shopping and more can and should all be right outside of your front door.

Kind Of A Big Deal is a post from: Rail Life

I once sat in a room at a large real estate conference and heard a friend say, “I’m kind of a big deal.”

Believe it or not, that friend was NOT Tyler Hurst. Yes, Tyler’s the guy that will “wear his name on his shirt”, will do what he wants, and say what he thinks. Often, he says them 140 characters at a time.

I bet you’ve heard of Twitter, right? I thought so. In fact, if you read this blog, there is a *really* good chance that you have at least a basic knowledge of what social media is.

A lot of people and/or companies use Twitter to convey a message, to build a brand, create relationships. Tyler has done all of the above. And then some.

This Thursday, Tyler Hurst will reach 100,000 tweets. I noticed him creeping up on the number a while back and thought it was only fitting to do a Tweetup.

Of course, I started thinking of the significance of 100,000 tweets. To some, it is no big deal. To others, it’s “kind of a big deal.”

Join us this Thursday at 4:30PM in the bar area at Monti’s La Casa Vieja. It’s a great spot to talk about a tweet of historic proportions. From the days of ham radios to these new fangled smart phones, the setting can’t get any better. Just a block north of the light rail station on Mill Avenue, Monti’s can handle crowds large and small. They have a huge parking lot, as well. Yes, free parking on Mill Avenue is always nice to find.

To be sure, you need to be following Tyler on Twitter. Coming up to this momentous occasion, you should also follow the #TD100k hash tag.

Why: 100,000 is kind of a big deal

When: Thursday, January 19th from 4:30 – ?

Where: Monti’s La Casa Vieja – 100 S Mill Avenue Tempe

Yes, Monti’s has a happy hour from 3-7pm. Come hang out and maybe talk to people in more than 140 characters at a time. In addition to happy hour, Monti’s has the best Foursquare special on Mill Avenue. Heck, Foursquare fan or not, you might even have a chance to visit with the next Mayor.

Even if you are not in AZ, you can follow along. I’m sure we will have some fun with this one.

What will Tyler’s big tweet be about? We’ll know soon enough…

Looking at 2011 Light Rail Milestones is a post from: Rail Life

Recently, METRO published a list of 2011 milestones for the Phoenix light rail system. It’s a pretty impressive list, the press release can be found below. Because I’m a bit lazy, I have just added some links to their press release for you to get more information about some of the milestones.

One that I don’t see mentioned below is: Provided a high tech way to track the trains…

METRO 2011 milestones

PHOENIX, AZ — METRO light rail served 13.2 million riders in 2011, an increase of four percent over 2010.  On average, 40,712 riders traveled using light rail on weekdays, 31,008 on Saturdays and 20,930 on Sundays/holidays.

“Our ridership continues to grow—2011 ridership exceeded the record set in 2010,” said METRO CEO Steve Banta.  “More and more of the Valley is opting in to public transit.  We look forward to working more collaboratively with regional partners in 2012 to make the transit trip even easier and more appealing for riders.”

Other notable highlights of 2011:

• Generated $383,000 in system advertising across 2011; approximately 25 percent over budget.
• Completed the ARRA-funded, 123-space park-and-ride lot at 7th Avenue and Camelback Road in March, which included shade canopies at this and two existing park-and-ride lots.

Launched a solar-cooled light rail station at 3rd Street/Washington in partnership with NRG and the City of Phoenix in July.

Served nearly 200,000 riders during Major League Baseball’s All-Star week with five, full All-Star train wraps and took part in the All-Star Red Carpet Parade.

Developed a mobile website in conjunction with Local First Arizona that shares the locally-owned restaurants and retail within a half-mile of the line.

Received environmental clearance in July and $35.5 million in the FY 2012 federal appropriations bill signed in November for the 3.1-mile Central Mesa light rail extension.

Determined 13 stop locations and several street configurations for the 2.6-mile Tempe Streetcar project.

Received a $1 million federal grant to conduct a 24-month Alternatives Analysis on the South Central Phoenix corridor. 

Received a $2.7 million TIGGER (Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction) grant award for a solar shade structure at the maintenance facility.

For more detailed information on METRO 2011 ridership, click here for the annual ridership report.

About METRO 

METRO is responsible for the development and operation of the region’s high-capacity transit system.  The first 20-mile light rail line opened December 2008 and served 13.2 million riders in 2011, exceeding the prior year by four percent.  METRO serves an average of 40,000 riders per weekday.  It is also planning for six extensions that will create a 57-mile system by 2031.

Rail Life Pic Of The Week – The Mouth That Roars is a post from: Rail Life

Around here, we like to keep things a little social. In fact, I’ve met some seriously awesome people through social media over the past few years.

While many have heard of the Twitter prowess that is Jeff Moriarty, and social media powerhouses like Pete Cashmore from Mashable, there is an even more constant roar in Tyler Hurst.

Prolific tweetification:

Moriarty – approximately 22,000 tweets:

Mashable – approximately 46,000 tweets

SEO guru, Chuck Reynolds approximately 46,000

Tyler Hurst – Will hit 100,000 tweets this week!

If you don’t know anything about Twitter, that’s ok. Maybe you live in a really nice cave.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that Tyler will soon be sending tweet number 100,000. Yes, really. When I thought about it, I sent Tyler a message saying we should have a “Tweet-up” to celebrate. While Tyler is a bit shy, he has agreed to a tweet-up and I found a great happy hour spot for this coming week. Yes, it is light rail friendly, and yes, you are invited. Mark your calendars for Thursday, we will post complete details, soon.

Remember, Rail Life has a Phoenix Light Rail Group on Flickr. Basically, we want to share some of our pictures from the community and allow people to add their pics (or videos), as well. These can be light rail related, but we also want pics or videos of your favorite spot, restaurant, sports team, community, event etc.

METRO Announces Light Rail Service For P. F. Chang’s Marathon is a post from: Rail Life

You all know that taking the light rail to the P.F. Chang’s Marathon is a piece of cake, right? As with many things, “some restrictions will apply.” Check out today’s press release from METRO Light Rail.

See our Phoenix light rail map for directions to the P.F. Changs Rock n Roll Marathon.

For immediate release

January 10, 2012

Light rail service for P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

Entire line is open pre-race with 10-minute service to connect runners to race starts

PHOENIX, AZ — On race morning, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, the entire METRO light rail line will be open with enhanced service to connect full and half-marathoners to the race starts in downtown Phoenix and Tempe.  Trains will run every 10 minutes between the start of service at 5 a.m. through the race start at 7:30 a.m.

During the race, METRO will transition to a regular Sunday schedule, whereby trains run every 20 minutes, with the following service restrictions:

Due to a race crossing in Phoenix at 7th Avenue and Camelback Road, service will be suspended to the following stations between 7:30 – 9 a.m., or until the race has cleared:

• Montebello/19th Avenue
• 19th Avenue/Camelback
• 7th Avenue/Camelback

Service will continue through race crossings in Tempe, but slight delays could result.  Please allow a few extra minutes to arrive at your destination.

Sunday service will resume to all stations once the race has cleared.  Additional trains will be provided to support the demand at race finish.

There will also be bus detours as a result of this event.  Select routes in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale will be impacted.  All transit riders planning to ride on Sunday are strongly advised to consult www.valleymetro.org or call Customer Service at (602) 253-5000 for more information.

View Phoenix Valley METRO Light Rail Map in a larger map
]]> http://raillife.com/blog/2012/01/10/metro-announces-enhanced-light-rail-service-changs-marathon/feed/ 2 http://raillife.com/blog/2012/01/09/rissers-ramblings-sports-line-6/ http://raillife.com/blog/2012/01/09/rissers-ramblings-sports-line-6/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:23:28 +0000 Bill Risser http://raillife.com/?p=5606 Risser’s Ramblings – Sports Along the Line is a post from: Rail Life