Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross met with the Phoenix and Tempe mayors to discuss ways to link an area deemed an opportunity corridor to SkySong, though she said the discussion did not center on bringing the Valley Metro Rail up Scottsdale Road.
In an e-mail sent to Manross before the meeting, which occurred late last month, from her assistant, the mayor was led to believe the "primary discussion for meeting will be centered around (a) pitch for light rail in the name of connecting the three ASU’s. She (the city lobbyist) also believes Papago Salado may come up."
But Manross and Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said that was not the case. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon could not be reached for comment.
"There was a general discussion about how important it was to work together to create that technology corridor," Manross said. "Honestly, I don’t remember any discussion at all to do with rail."
Hallman also said the meeting focused on what he calls the "golden corridor" and what Gordon refers to as the "opportunity corridor."
"The only thing we discussed was how the golden corridor should include SkySong," Hallman said.
Still, it’s nearly impossible to separate light rail from that discussion.
The opportunity corridor initiative promoted by the Phoenix and Tempe mayors runs along or near the lightrail route between downtown Phoenix and Tempe, which also is the route between the planned ASU downtown Phoenix campus and the main Tempe campus. SkySong, which is promoted as a hightech innovation center, is being developed at the southeast corner of Scottsdale and McDowell roads by private developers, Scottsdale and the Arizona State University Foundation, the university’s fundraising arm.
Light rail is a subject that will likely take on significant interest in Scottsdale in the coming year with the release of the city’s first master transportation plan since the 1980s. The plan will examine transit uses such as light rail along Scottsdale Road.
In 2003, the City Council identified Scottsdale Road as the transit corridor. The new master plan will include plans for streets, transit, bikes and walkers.
A presentation to the city’s Transportation Commission on the high-capacity transit alternatives – light rail, modern street car or express bus – is scheduled for Thursday. No decision will be made at that time.
The initial $1.4 billion, 20-mile regional light-rail segment in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa is under construction and scheduled to open in December 2008.
In 2004, voters approved Proposition 400, which included funding for route extensions – but Scottsdale wasn’t included.
The Maricopa Associations of Government – a regional council led by the county’s mayors – has a process to amend the plan, said John Farry, Valley Metro Rail community and government relations director.
Manross was recently elected vice chairwoman of MAG.
Farry said Scottsdale has not made a request to amend the plan to include a light-rail line, and Manross said she wants to see the master plan recommendation and hear from the community before taking a position.
But Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce president Rick Kidder is already advocating bringing light rail into town. He said the chamber’s goal is to extend light rail to the Scottsdale Airpark employment center, but understands that will need to be done incrementally.
"Right now, the public appetite to bring light rail to at least SkySong is growing," Kidder said. "The assumption is what support there is doesn’t extend beyond SkySong at this point."
Earlier this week, the council voted to allow an initial 325 apartments on the SkySong site.
This is in addition to the planned 1.2 million square feet of office, research and retail space.
The first building that will house ASU and other tenants is scheduled to open next summer.
By Brian Powell
