What to know about commuter rail in Gilbert

By Tom Blodgett
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Twitter: @sp_blodgett

In 1902, the Arizona Eastern Railway, looking to establish a rail line between Phoenix and Florence, asked for donations of right of way. Some of the track was built upon a donation from one landowner, William “Bobby” Gilbert, and the community that then sprung around there took its name from him. 

And while the railway was the key to Gilbert subsequently becoming the “Hay Shipping Capital of the World” during the World War I era, the town has grown from its rural roots to the largest “town” in America, one of more than a quarter-million people. 

Now, more than a century after Gilbert incorporated, a vocal number of its citizens are questioning whether there is a place for rail in Gilbert’s future. 

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about rail plans in Gilbert collected from transportation experts in and out of town. 

Does Gilbert have plans to run rail, either light rail or commuter rail, in town? 

The town itself has no such plans. That is because any decisions on this would be outside the council’s scope of authority. 

Do others have plans for light rail or commuter rail in town? 

It is important to distinguish here between light rail and commuter rail, or passenger rail as it is now being called on the regional level. Gilbert has given firm signals in the past that it is not interested in having light rail in town. Sentiment among council members has not changed on that.  

Passenger rail is a future possibility, and Gilbert, as with other affected municipalities, has participated in studies, given its opinion on preferred line options and supported more studying. But again, any final decision does not belong to the town and, in any case, is years away. 

So what is the difference between light rail and commuter, or passenger, rail? 

Light rail in the Phoenix area runs on street tracks in an exclusive right of way powered by overhead lines. Construction has torn up streets for long periods of time to the detriment of businesses along the line while construction has been under way. Stations have an open design that is easily accessed by anyone. Those stations are about a mile or two apart. While it costs money to ride the light rail, fares are inexpensive — $2 for a single ride, $4 for a day pass. However, tickets are not always checked. Trains run every 12-20 minutes during operating hours depending on the day and time. Trains operate at least from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., but sometimes as early as 4 a.m. or as late as 2 a.m., depending on the day. 

Passenger rail is heavy rail running on already constructed freight rail tracks. It shares right of way with private rail. Stations, which would be located about five to 10 miles apart, would be gated and accessible only to those who pay the fare. As it does not run currently in Arizona, fares are unknown but expected to be more expensive. It likely would run only in the morning and in the evening, much like express buses to downtown do, and less frequently than light rail does. 

Does the area have any history with commuter rail? 

Yes. Amtrak’s Sunset Limited ran through Gilbert and Phoenix until a 1995 domestic terrorism incident that derailed a train in the desert west of Phoenix, killing one person. Operation then was suspended in 1996. The crime has never been solved. A note tied it to the “Sons of the Gestapo,” a group that is still unknown to law enforcement. Amtrak now does not run through the Phoenix metropolitan area, coming only as close as the city of Maricopa in Pinal County. 

Is there a plan to restore commuter rail service in Gilbert and the Phoenix area? 

Yes … and no. There is no active plan, but it is part of Amtrak’s vision for the future. Aside from Houston, Phoenix is the largest metropolitan area in the country without Amtrak service. Proposition 400, a transportation funding measure passed in 2004, included some funding for planning of commuter rail. 

The Maricopa Association of Governments, which acts as the regional transportation planner, commenced studying commuter rail options in 2007 and issued a report in 2010 that was later updated in 2018. That plan lists several steps that would have to be taken for any implementation, but at present, none of them have been. 

MAG also included commuter rail in its regional transportation plan through 2035 but noted it as unlikely to happen through that time.  

“Depending on future development patterns, population densities sufficient to warrant investment in commuter rail may not occur within the current planning horizon of the (regional transportation plan),” the report read. 

An update of that plan through 2050, issued last December, barely mentions commuter rail. 

From 2011-15, the Arizona Department of Transportation worked with the Federal Railroad Administration, other federal agencies, MAG and other planning agencies on a passenger rail study to see if it could be part of a solution to increased congestion between Tucson and Phoenix over a quarter-century. 

“There is currently no construction schedule and no funding identified for a project to build a rail system between Tucson and Phoenix,” the report read. “Moving forward, the public and policymakers will decide how to generate the funding to pay for the project.” 

And that is where the plans sit, according to Audra Koester Thomas, transportation program planning manager for MAG. No funding has been identified, and nothing is being advanced beyond potential. 

The bipartisan federal infrastructure bill passed last year includes money for Amtrak to expand service, giving rise to rail supporters’ hopes that this could be an opportunity for the Tucson-to-Phoenix commuter rail service plans to become active. But no money has been earmarked for it. 

So who would approve it? 

It would involve the federal government, ADOT and whoever operates it, likely Amtrak, though possibly a private company. 

What is Gilbert’s role in it? 

Gilbert is a member of MAG, but it is one voice there. Past councils in 2013 and 2014 passed resolutions that supported certain corridor options within the study.  

With the studies going on in the past decade, Gilbert has included in its capital improvement plan a study of land it owns for the feasibility of its use for multimodal transportation stations. One would be in the Cooley Station area and the other in the Heritage District. Both sites are along the Union Pacific rail line that would be used for commuter rail.  

An item to authorize the study and pay the cost for that feasibility study was tabled in April at council’s request so that the council could hold a study session on the rail proposal. 

Tom Blodgett
Senior News Editor | Gilbert
@sp_blodgett

tblodgett@iniusa.org

Meet Tom
Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.

Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.

Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism. 

Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.  

Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).