Casa Grande Dispatch
Comments are being sought by the Arizona Department of Transportation on three options for a rail service that could go through Pinal County.
One option would pass through Casa Grande; one route goes through Eloy and Coolidge; and the third may go through Eloy, Coolidge or Florence, but the specific alignment has not been identified.
Comments on route options are due by May 31 and should be submitted online at azdot. gov/passengerrail by clicking on the “participate online” option. The route options can be seen on that website, too, under the “final alternatives map,” section.
The study is part of ADOT’s plan to determine if it’s feasible to establish a passenger rail line between Phoenix and Tucson. No funding for such a venture has been identified.
All three routes under consideration would extend south from the junction of Arizona 87 and Interstate 10 to Tucson and extend northwest from Phoenix along
I-10 and U.S. 60. Only the section that would run through southern Maricopa County and western Pinal County differs in the three options.
■ The “green alternative” would follow the I-10 corridor
through Casa Grande, the Gila River Indian Community and west Chandler. Specific sta- tion locations have not been determined, but they could be developed along
I-10 to serve Sacaton and Bapchule.
■ The “yellow alternative” would follow the Union Pacific Railroad corridor from Eloy to Phoenix and go through Coolidge, San Tan Valley, Queen Creek, Gilbert, Mesa and Tempe.
■ The “orange alternative” would run east of the “yellow alternative,” but the specific alignment has not been determined. More than 2,000 comments have already been submitted on the plans, said Laura Douglas, ADOT news operations manager.
Besides the online comment option, people can attend meetings to learn about the project and offer comments.
Upcoming meetings include:
■ Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at University Boulevard and Tyndall Avenue in Tucson.
■ Friday from 1 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Pima County Fair in Old Pueblo Hall in Tucson.
■ April 26 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St. in Mesa.
■ May 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Washington Street and First Avenue in Phoenix.
