Arizona Indicators

Light Rail Ridership Rebounds After Summer Slowdown

Light rail service began in the Phoenix metro area at the end of 2008 with a twenty mile starter line connecting Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. Extensions to the starter line are already in the planning phases. Historically, Maricopa County has had low levels of bus ridership per capita. Ridership has increased primarily as a result of population growth. As people become more aware of the benefits of public transportation, both to themselves and to the environment, ridership will continue to grow. Light rail ridership was strong during its first few months of service, but experienced a slight decline during the summer months. With school back in session, ridership is getting back on track.

Well-planned, properly maintained transportation infrastructure is critical to growth at the local, regional, and state level. Good transportation systems form an extensive connective tissue that supports social and economic networks alike. Furthermore, public and commercial use of transit options has far reaching implications for quality of life, trade, and the environment.

This section contains sustainable transportation indicators ranging from travel time to bus ridership and economic transportation indicators such as international flights and truck containers crossing the Arizona-Mexico border.