Environmental Assessment

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYES.1 WHAT IS THE TEMPE STREETCAR AND WHERE IS IT LOCATED?The proposed project, also known as theBuild Alternative, is a 3-mile-long streetcarline that begins on Rio Salado Parkway atMarina Heights near Packard Drive, uses theMill Avenue/Ash Avenue loop in DowntownTempe, travels south on Mill Avenuebetween University Drive and the GammageCurve, turns east onto Apache Boulevardand continues to its terminus near theDorsey/Apache Boulevard light rail station.The Build Alternative links Tempe TownLake, the region’s light rail system,What is a Streetcar?• Electric-powered rail vehicle• Often shares traffic lanes with autos• Typically operates as a single-car unit• Simple stations are often similar to a busstop• Streamlined fare collection and passengerinformation systemDowntown Tempe, several destinations within Arizona State University’s (ASU’s)campus, including Gammage Auditorium and dense student housing developmentsalong the Apache Boulevard corridor, and future employment and activity destinationssuch as Marina Heights. Under the Build Alternative, the modern streetcar vehiclesoperate on tracks, typically mixed with automobile traffic, and are powered by overheadpower lines. Stops are also more frequent than light rail and feature simple designssimilar to bus stops. The streetcar would operate as a single-car unit and featurestreamlined fare collection and passenger information systems. Figure ES-1 depicts theproposed project and the study area evaluated. Major characteristics of the proposedproject are listed in Table ES-1. Refer to Chapter 2 of this Environmental Assessment(EA) for more information about the project.The Tempe Streetcar project is part of the 2004 voter-approved Regional TransportationPlan (RTP) concept to build 57 miles of high-capacity/light rail transit (LRT)improvements in the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) region. Highcapacitytransit is generally defined as a service that operates on a fixed or semiexclusiveguideway, features greater frequency and carrying capacity than a standardfixed route bus system and serves moderate- to high-density urban/suburban areas.The Tempe Streetcar project will be included in an amended TransportationImprovement Program/RTP that will be adopted by the MAG Regional Council inJune 2015. Figure ES-2 displays the Tempe Streetcar corridor in relation to the ValleyMetro 20-mile light rail line and other planned high-capacity transit corridorimprovements. Valley Metro plans to begin streetcar operations in 2018.Environmental Assessment Page ES-1 July 2015Tempe Streetcar