Tucson Development News

[nobleman]

Here's a nice project that I suppose finished (not sure though).

Congress Street Master Plan

Tucson, Arizona (2004-2005)

Client: City of Tucson

Congress Street used to be the Main Street of Tucson, with a remarkable variety of large and small shops, theaters, music, and Tucson's first skyscraper. With a decline that began in the mid 1960's, Congress lost many of the traditional retail establishments that created its character. As the uses that once drew people to the area disappeared, vehicular traffic was gradually taking priority over pedestrian comfort, and the area was no longer connected to other downtown destinations.



Project for Public Spaces was part of a team hired by the City of Tucson to create a master plan and revitalization strategy for Congress Street. The team was led by local landscape architecture firm Wheat Scharf Associates and also included Transcore, DOTA Architects, and Benya Lighting Design.

PPS brought together all parties that had an interest in Congress Street to identify problems, share plans, create a vision, and go forward collaboratively to achieve that vision. As a part of the visioning process PPS conducted on-site observations of existing conditions and traffic patterns, interviewed local merchants and owners, and held Placemaking workshops with the community.

A series of recommendations were developed by PPS to revitalize Congress Street and remake the neighborhood as a destination, rather than just an area you drive through. PPS recommended several measures to restore pedestrian comfort and access, upgrade the physical quality and safety of the roadways and sidewalks, improve traffic circulation, create different destinations that would draw various users at different times of the day, and connect the street to other nearby destinations to create a larger downtown district.

Some recommendations for short term improvements have begun to be implemented, including a farmers market at bus transfer station on Congress Street. The longer term revitalization plan is going into final design and construction is expected to begin in 2007.

[nobleman]

Tucson:
Streetcar Plan Wins With 60% of Vote

It's streetcars for Tucson!

"Voters made it clear Tuesday that they want this town's traffic woes to hit the road" declared an editorial (17 May 2006) in the Arizona Daily Star – which had backed the ballot items proposing a Regional Transportation Plan (a comprehensive bus transit/streetcar/roadway improvement program).



For more background on Tucson's LRT streetcar plans, see:

Tucson Area Public Transport and Rail Transit Issues
http://www.lightrailnow.org/facts/fa_lrt_tuc.htm

With 100% of precincts reporting, results for the two propositions on the 16 May ballot were as follows:

• Prop. 1 (RTA road/transit/streetcar plan) – 60% yes
• Prop. 2 (half-cent tax to fund plan) – 58% yes

First rail starter line

While, to win diverse community approval, the Tucson plan includes major roadway expansions, these do not include any new freeways. On the other hand, the modern streetcar project represents the city's first rail starter line, and perhaps a foot in the door for a more extensive system.

Similarly, Denver started in the early 1990s with just a streetcar-like, street-routed light rail transit line, which was embraced by the Denver public and has since become both a catalyst for and the backbone of the urban area's massive transit expansion and New Urbanist-style transit oriented development (TOD) development program. Hopefully, events in Tucson will follow a similar pattern.



As our previous coverage of the Tucson situation has indicated, Tucson's new light rail streetcar system will actually be a major expansion, with modern rolling stock, of the tiny heritage tourist-oriented trolley which currently operates, mainly on weekends, for about a mile near the University of Arizona campus. While this little operation has been important, even its supporters and volunteers will undoubtedly admit that it's functioned mainly as a kind of transport curiosity within Tucson's urban transportation environment. Now, however, its role as a viable element within the city's mobility system stands to be substantially enhanced under the Regional Transportation Plan.

"Decisive" victory for public transport

While voter turnout was light for the May 16th ballot, "the margin of victory was decisive" declared the editors of the Arizona Daily Star, adding that "By ratio of 3-2, people throughout Tucson and its surrounding suburbs agreed to add a half-cent per dollar to the sales tax to help raise $2 billion for transportation improvements over the next 20 years."

"The message was inescapable" said the Star. "They've had enough of traffic congestion, aggravating bottlenecks and inadequate public transit."

Turning to the streetcar project, the Star noted,

One of the more interesting experiments embodied in the plan calls for a modern streetcar system between UMC and Downtown. Most of the $87.7 million cost of that project will come from federal grants. Planners hope the streetcar will encourage students and workers in the university area to leave their cars in a lot and use the streetcar for trips through the surrounding area. The streetcar route will end near the Fourth Avenue underpass.

At a victory party on the election night, Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup observed, "The voters will want fast, positive action and we're going to give it to them."

Steve Farley, a local artist and transit activist who had spearheaded Tucson's previous but unsuccessful LRT ballot initiative, was ecstatic over the electoral victory. "Tucson is growing up," Farley said on election night. "This is not just thrilling from a transportation standpoint. This is a template for how we solve our problems now." (Tucson Citizen, 17 May 2006)

Many supporters were simply relieved that, after many efforts to rally the community behind a program of comprehensive transportation solutions, success had finally been achieved. "It is refreshing indeed that voters rejected the concerns of some very vocal critics and concluded that it's better to adopt this plan than wait for absolute gridlock to arrive before tackling the problem" said the editors of the Arizona Daily Star.

Inspiration for other cities

In assessing the impact of these developments on Tucson-area mobility, it's important to keep in mind that, while one light rail streetcar line is funded under this plan, more than 30 roadways will be widened or newly constructed. This is significant in view of rail critics' incessant blather about transit's declining "market share" (mode share) vis-a-vis private motor vehicle transportation. Even with improvements to bus services, it is absurd and deceptive to encourage public expectations that transit's proportional share of total travel should increase under such conditions.

Nevertheless, it's clear that this is a critically important victory for high-quality public transport in the Tucson area. Furthermore, the Tucson vote is a significant success for rail advocacy – a success which can provide inspiration to other North American cities, such as Austin, Birmingham, Spokane, Madison, Columbus, Toledo, and Cincinnati, which are also considering possible streetcar systems, interurban-type light rail transit, or other light railway systems.

[nobleman]

This sounds like something you guys are going to be more interested in.

[SDfan]

Nice to see Tuscon adopting mass transit rather then more Highways. Im sure these projects will build an even great character to this already special southern Arizona miniopolis.

I should visit sometime in my life.

[nobleman]

Originally Posted by SDfan

Nice to see Tuscon adopting mass transit rather then more Highways. Im sure these projects will build an even great character to this already special southern Arizona miniopolis.

I should visit sometime in my life.

Thanks for the kind words.

I advise you visit the city once it grows a bit more and it becomes more developed (at this pace, it won't take long).

[nobleman]

I found some kick-ass documents on the master plan of Tucson's downtown. As many of you know, Tucson has grown tremendously in the last couple of decades, resulting in extreme sprawl. The city administration understood the problem just recently, and knew that it could endanger the city's future if not taken care of.

With the help of private investors, and more importantly the city's government, Tucson is planning to convert Tucson into a downtown centered city. The city taxes have increased to help with the financing of these projects, but more than half of the city agrees with them.

As mentioned in the earlier post, Tucson has decided to greatly improve its public transportation and such. Here's a map I found that explains the route of the modern streetcars, so that you can see the downtown forming nicely.

http://www.tucsontransitstudy.com/info.htm



Tell me what you all think.

[nobleman]

And for all of you interested on the details of what's going to go on downtown, I recommend reading this.

[nobleman]

Today I went to the Tucson International Airport, and it looks like a lot of the renovation and expansion work is slowly coming to an end. The last time I visited the airport, there was still a lot of work going on. Now it looks great and it's really busy too.

EDIT:

I forgot to mention on my way there, since the airport is far South, I passed by Tucson's Business District. Most cities have this, and it's just simple infrastructure connecting larger industrial looking company buildings. There were some hotels (that looked new) constructed somewhat near the area.

[nobleman]

If any of you are interested, I found some high-quality webcams stationed in various places of Tucson. I recommend checking it out if you're interested in seeing what Tucson's like.

Click here to see the webcams (Slow internet connections shouldn't click)

[Don B.]

Great updates. I'm so glad to see Tucson voting in some light-rail/trolley action. That makes them a lot more progressive than Phoenix, since Tucson today is about the same size Phoenix was in 1970. It took Phoenix another 30 years to go the light-rail route.

What is the proposed trolley route Tucsonians just approved?

--don

[nobleman]

Originally Posted by Don B.

Great updates. I'm so glad to see Tucson voting in some light-rail/trolley action. That makes them a lot more progressive than Phoenix, since Tucson today is about the same size Phoenix was in 1970. It took Phoenix another 30 years to go the light-rail route.

What is the proposed trolley route Tucsonians just approved?

--don

I don't think the right word is progressive, they're just two different styles of cities.
Since Phoenix is much larger than Tucson, and I'm assuming the population growth rate is larger in Phoenix than Tucson, I doubt the city officials have enough time and money to think about making modern streetcars or the more urban and pedestrian friendly downtown.

Tucson, the actual city (not suburbs), is for the most part done with its population boom. Of course the population hasn't stopped growing, and probably won't for a long time, but the so called "boom" is done for sure.

Most work is going on with the infrastructure, making driving much easier and faster.

I already posted the proposed streetcar route, but I guess you missed it, so here it is again .

[nobleman]

I have a question for you all...

Tucson uses natural small rocks and stuff instead of grass infront of private homes, to make it look more natural instead of fake. Tucson also has banned the use of light pollution on streets, so that observatories and just ordinary people have a better look at the night sky and stars.

Do you think these rules are good or bad? Explain.

I for one think it's both good and bad, since there's no "real" need for street lamps because the cars lights should be on anyways. As for not using grass infront of homes, or to fill up medians, I think it isn't bad either.

[Don B.]

I'm totally okay with the desert look as long as people keep it up - no weeds, looking unkempt, etc. The problem is that in much of Tucson, people just ignore their yards so it looks like total crap. This coupled with ratty roads, no curbs and no sidewalks makes much of the city look junky.

I don't like utter darkness at night. I have a townhome in Prescott for a summer place and the darkness there is disturbing at night.

Because of the lack of streetlights, I find it hard to navigate there at night. I wish they would at least put in some sort of low wattage malibu lights or waist high lights to illuminate things.

--don

[nobleman]

Originally Posted by Don B.

I'm totally okay with the desert look as long as people keep it up - no weeds, looking unkempt, etc. The problem is that in much of Tucson, people just ignore their yards so it looks like total crap. This coupled with ratty roads, no curbs and no sidewalks makes much of the city look junky.

I don't like utter darkness at night. I have a townhome in Prescott for a summer place and the darkness there is disturbing at night.

Because of the lack of streetlights, I find it hard to navigate there at night. I wish they would at least put in some sort of low wattage malibu lights or waist high lights to illuminate things.

--don

Eh, depends exactly where you are in Tucson, because some yards look excellent. From what I know, neighborhoods actually have laws against letting weeds grow in your yard, and the owners usually receive a fine for that.

I don't think calling Tucson utter darkness is correct either, since on big streets there are obviously a lot of cars creating light, stores alongside the road have their lights on creating a lot of light, and not to mention in most residential neighborhoods, people allign their driveway with small lights that create plenty of light to see where you're going.

[Krasna Sreča]

Originally Posted by nobleman

I have a question for you all...

Tucson uses natural small rocks and stuff instead of grass infront of private homes, to make it look more natural instead of fake. Tucson also has banned the use of light pollution on streets, so that observatories and just ordinary people have a better look at the night sky and stars.

Do you think these rules are good or bad? Explain.

I for one think it's both good and bad, since there's no "real" need for street lamps because the cars lights should be on anyways. As for not using grass infront of homes, or to fill up medians, I think it isn't bad either.

I have been to Tucson once in my whole life and all I saw was a freaking Wal-Mart or something like that because I was on a business trip with my dad.

Anyhow it looks very nice, Its grow a lot from what I can see.

@About the rocks, do you not use grass anywhere? WE got rid of our rocks, man I hated those!

[nobleman]

Originally Posted by arêteixion

I have been to Tucson once in my whole life and all I saw was a freaking Wal-Mart or something like that because I was on a business trip with my dad.

Anyhow it looks very nice, Its grow a lot from what I can see.

@About the rocks, do you not use grass anywhere? WE got rid of our rocks, man I hated those!

I'm sorry to hear you didn't see more of Tucson on your trip.

I can show you some examples of rocks instead of grass. Most people here prefer it that way, since it's more natural looking and fits it better with the desert.

[Krasna Sreča]

Oh, we have a lot of mixing between rocks and grass or just grass or rocks.

Its fine, I know what most houses with rocks look like, usually a lot have designs with different types of rocks.

[Kevin J]

The encouragement of natural landscaping is an acknowlegement that Tucson is in a desert where sustainability means using water wisely. Whether you like the way it looks or not, it's absolutely a good thing because even with the arrival of CAP water 10 years ago, Tucson still gets most of its water from the ground, which is a finite resource.

Tucson has long had the lowest per capita consumption of water among major metro areas in the west. Phoenix's consumption is almost 20% higher, and a good deal of that has to do with a stronger tendency toward lawns and non-native greenery in the Phoenix area than in Tucson.

As far as the light pollution ordinances go, the darkness in isolated areas is very disconcerting when you're in an area you don't know well. It's very easy to miss a turn off in such areas. But that's certainly not a concern on major streets or when you know where you're going, which is the case most of the time. The abundance of observatories around Tucson is unique for American cities and very important to the university, so it's something that should be protected.

[JAB323]

Tucson is a nice city I passed by one time.

[spatial]

I really like Tucson, it has so much going for it, and I love the neighborhoods, like the Barrio and the areas south and east of downtown. And there's always Hotel Congress too.

Btw, when do they get started building the light rail in Tucson?