Like a lot of people, I commute to and from the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus on the bus system. I live about a mile north of ASU so this is easy. But something I always see on my incredibly short journey is people jay-walking across Central Avenue - and the new METRO light rail tracks - in front of the Burton Barr Phoenix Central Library. First, this is illegal. Second, this is unsafe.
Something that I believe METRO has not done enough - and even in cooperation with the cities - is to focus on and even enforce safety around light rail. Phoenix and the entire metropolitan area is not used to driving around train tracks. Unlike most major cities, Phoenix doesn't have that much for railroad tracks. It is my fear that - given Phoenix's automobile safety record and how we like to run red traffic lights - there will inevitably be an accident involving someone who thought that they could beat a train through an intersection. Or a pedestrian who walked out on the tracks and didn't see or hear the train coming.
So my question to the METRO people is this: Why haven't you started an aggressive safety campaign in cooperation with the cities? Why aren't we fining people who walk -illegally - across the tracks in all the cities in which METRO operates? Why aren't all the traffic signals at all METRO intersections - namely the left-turn signals - working? If we want a culture of safety around train tracks - which I think we all want - why haven't we started that from the inceptions of this project years ago?
Regardless of your opinions on METRO, it is a reality. It is here. The first trains are out on our streets and it opens up Safety issues are not a reason to oppose light rail.
If you want information on METRO safety, you can go to METRO's website for more: http://www.valleymetro.org/metro_light_rail/light_rail_safety/.
Cheers-
Edward Jensen
2 comments:
Good points. The safety campaign is especially needed Downtown where the light rail tracks travel down one-way streets on one side or the other rather than in the median. In these situations, an illegal turn could bring about a collision with a train approaching from behind. Strict enforcement and vigorous education is needed to make it clear that normal rules, including right on red, don't necessarily apply.
It will be interesting to see if the first accident is before or after the "grand opening." There has been a lot of talk of safety being the number one priority. I would have to agree that there has not been enough action. Seems kind of tough for Metro, Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa to all play nice.
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