East Valley Living - Local News City News for the East Valley and Mesa area of Phoenix Arizona
Public Transit Department Reduces Late-night Service
The city of Phoenix Public Transit Department will reduce late-night service during weekdays on 12 local Phoenix routes. Beginning Monday, July 25, late-night trips that began past about 10:30 p.m. will be eliminated.
During the slower economic growth of the past few years, Phoenix has made cuts to all non-public safety departments. Many city services have been affected and the Public Transit Department tried to impact the lowest number of passengers possible.
â¬SWe realize that having a ride to their destination is important to each passenger. It is not without much regret that we reduce late-night service. In evaluating ridership data, the last trips of the day have the fewest passengers ⬠a rough estimate of 300 passenger boardings out of the 121,000 each day,⬝ said Debbie Cotton, the departmentâ¬"s director.
Initially the department had been asked to find $667,700. After hearing from many passengers and other members of the public during budget hearings, the City Council restored $167,700 to the departmentâ¬"s budget, resulting in the $500,000 final cut and affecting 12 of 16 originally identified routes.
The department began adding late-night service in 2002 as part of the Phoenix Transit Plan approved by voters five years ago. The Phoenix City Council recently reviewed a forecast showing that transit funding could be restored over the next five years if improvements in the local economy continue.
Also, on July 25 route changes will be made to Routes 35, 27 and 60. Passenger notices of service changes will be on Phoenix buses by July 8. For more information, passengers are advised to consult the Valley Metro Web site at http://ValleyMetro.org, call the customer information number at 602-253-5000, or pick up a Bus Book, available the week of July 11 on board buses, at transit centers, and at city offices and libraries.
Routes Affected by the Schedule Reduction:
The list below shows the route number, general route description, begin and end time of the last trip beginning July 25, and bus stop deviations. A deviation, in parentheses ( ), occurs when the bus does not go to its usual beginning or end point.
Route 7- 7th Street Dobbins Road to Union Hills Drive
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:32 p.m., ends at 11:54 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:17 p.m., ends at 11:39 p.m.
Route 16 - 16th Street Jesse Owens Medical Center to Sunnyslope Transit Center
Northbound - last trip begins at 9:45 p.m., ends at 10:47 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:07 p.m., ends at 11:10 p.m.
Route 17 ⬠McDowell Road Desert Sky Mall to Granite Reef Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:40 p.m., ends at 11:45 p.m. (48th Street/Fillmore Street)
Westbound - last trip begins at 10:40 p.m. (48th Street/Fillmore Street), ends at 11:42 p.m.
Route19 - 19th Avenue Cesar Chavez High School to Deer Valley Road/7th Street
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:25 p.m. ends at 11:50 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:25 p.m., ends at 11:30 p.m. (22nd Avenue/Lower Buckeye Road)
Route 24 - 24th Street/Glendale Road South Mountain Community College to Glendale Road/ 67th Avenue
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:15 p.m., ends at 11:14 p.m. (Glendale Road/ 43rd Avenue)
Southbound - last trip begins at 9:48 p.m., ends at 10:59 p.m.
Route 35 - 35th Avenue Cesar Chavez High School to 29th Avenue/Runion Drive
Northbound - last trip begins at 9:38 p.m., ends at 11:05 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 9:25 p.m., ends at 10:50 p.m.
Route 41-Indian School Road Desert Sky Mall to Hayden Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:04 p.m., ends at 11:16 p.m. (Loloma Station)
Westbound - last trip b 11:02 p.m. (Metrocenter)
Route 170 – Bell Road Arrowhead Towne Center to Costco at Hayden Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:16 p.m. (Bell Road/ 51st Avenue), ends at 11:06 p.m. (Bell Road/Scottsdale Road)
Westbound - last trip begins at 10:09 p.m. (Bell Road/Scottsdale Road), ends at 10:58 p.m. (Bell Road/51st Avenue)
The city of Phoenix Public Transit Department will reduce late-night service during weekdays on 12 local Phoenix routes. Beginning Monday, July 25, late-night trips that began past about 10:30 p.m. will be eliminated.
During the slower economic growth of the past few years, Phoenix has made cuts to all non-public safety departments. Many city services have been affected and the Public Transit Department tried to impact the lowest number of passengers possible.
â¬SWe realize that having a ride to their destination is important to each passenger. It is not without much regret that we reduce late-night service. In evaluating ridership data, the last trips of the day have the fewest passengers ⬠a rough estimate of 300 passenger boardings out of the 121,000 each day,⬝ said Debbie Cotton, the departmentâ¬"s director.
Initially the department had been asked to find $667,700. After hearing from many passengers and other members of the public during budget hearings, the City Council restored $167,700 to the departmentâ¬"s budget, resulting in the $500,000 final cut and affecting 12 of 16 originally identified routes.
The department began adding late-night service in 2002 as part of the Phoenix Transit Plan approved by voters five years ago. The Phoenix City Council recently reviewed a forecast showing that transit funding could be restored over the next five years if improvements in the local economy continue.
Also, on July 25 route changes will be made to Routes 35, 27 and 60. Passenger notices of service changes will be on Phoenix buses by July 8. For more information, passengers are advised to consult the Valley Metro Web site at http://ValleyMetro.org, call the customer information number at 602-253-5000, or pick up a Bus Book, available the week of July 11 on board buses, at transit centers, and at city offices and libraries.
Routes Affected by the Schedule Reduction:
The list below shows the route number, general route description, begin and end time of the last trip beginning July 25, and bus stop deviations. A deviation, in parentheses ( ), occurs when the bus does not go to its usual beginning or end point.
Route 7- 7th Street Dobbins Road to Union Hills Drive
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:32 p.m., ends at 11:54 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:17 p.m., ends at 11:39 p.m.
Route 16 - 16th Street Jesse Owens Medical Center to Sunnyslope Transit Center
Northbound - last trip begins at 9:45 p.m., ends at 10:47 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:07 p.m., ends at 11:10 p.m.
Route 17 ⬠McDowell Road Desert Sky Mall to Granite Reef Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:40 p.m., ends at 11:45 p.m. (48th Street/Fillmore Street)
Westbound - last trip begins at 10:40 p.m. (48th Street/Fillmore Street), ends at 11:42 p.m.
Route19 - 19th Avenue Cesar Chavez High School to Deer Valley Road/7th Street
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:25 p.m. ends at 11:50 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 10:25 p.m., ends at 11:30 p.m. (22nd Avenue/Lower Buckeye Road)
Route 24 - 24th Street/Glendale Road South Mountain Community College to Glendale Road/ 67th Avenue
Northbound - last trip begins at 10:15 p.m., ends at 11:14 p.m. (Glendale Road/ 43rd Avenue)
Southbound - last trip begins at 9:48 p.m., ends at 10:59 p.m.
Route 35 - 35th Avenue Cesar Chavez High School to 29th Avenue/Runion Drive
Northbound - last trip begins at 9:38 p.m., ends at 11:05 p.m.
Southbound - last trip begins at 9:25 p.m., ends at 10:50 p.m.
Route 41-Indian School Road Desert Sky Mall to Hayden Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:04 p.m., ends at 11:16 p.m. (Loloma Station)
Westbound - last trip b 11:02 p.m. (Metrocenter)
Route 170 – Bell Road Arrowhead Towne Center to Costco at Hayden Road
Eastbound - last trip begins at 10:16 p.m. (Bell Road/ 51st Avenue), ends at 11:06 p.m. (Bell Road/Scottsdale Road)
Westbound - last trip begins at 10:09 p.m. (Bell Road/Scottsdale Road), ends at 10:58 p.m. (Bell Road/51st Avenue)
