Your questions answered by Tom Fox, MATA's Director Of Planning

Questions From Readers of This Blog

Why is it hard to get the status information and updates on light rail initiatives in Memphis?
THE PROCESS THAT MATA MUST FOLLOW TO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS IS VERY TIME CONSUMING. THERE HAVE BEEN FEW NEWSWORTHY MILESTONES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. VERY SOON, MATA WILL BE POSTING THE DRAFT PHASE 3 REPORT, EARLIER REPORTS, AND MEETING MINUTES ON ITS UPDATED WEB SITE.

Where does MATATRAC stand today? What is the biggest obstacle to making this dream of light rail a reality? When can we expect to see progress?
FUNDING IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST OBSTACLE. THE PROPOSED FUNDING PROGRAM INCLUDES FEDERAL, STATE, AND CITY DOLLARS IN PROPORTIONS OF 50%, 25%, AND 25%. AT THE PRESENT TIME BUDGETS ARE TIGHT AT THE CITY AND STATE LEVELS, AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RAIL IS EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE. THE NEXT STEP IS TO SECURE FTA APPROVAL TO BEGIN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING ON THE DOWNTOWN-AIRPORT LINE, WHICH WE HOPE TO GET WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR. A NON-FEDERAL FUNDING COMMITMENT (CITY/STATE) FOR THE MATCHING SHARE OF PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING WILL BE NEEDED AT THAT TIME.

What are the proposed routes and stops and how will those be kept safe? NYC has police patrol the subway stops and occasionally ride the cars.
THE TOP PRIORITY CORRIDOR IS THE ONE CONNECTING DOWNTOWN, MIDTOWN AND THE AIRPORT. THE SELECTED ROUTE IS ALTERNATIVE 2 AND THERE ARE 8 PROPOSED STATION LOCATIONS. THE MAP AND STATION LOCATIONS WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEB SITE. OTHER CORRIDORS ARE EXPECTED TO STUDIED AT A LATER DATE, INCLUDING POSSIBLE LINES SERVING AREAS SOUTHEAST, SOUTH AND NORTH. MATA IS AWARE OF SAFETY CONCERNS AND WILL EITHER HAVE ITS OWN TRANSIT POLICE FORCE OR MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR REGULAR PATROLS. PERSONAL SAFETY HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE A PROBLEM AT OTHER LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

What is the status of using the aboandon rail line out to Cordova? Seems this would be a good fit of unused land.
THIS LINE IS OWNED BY THE CSX RAILROAD AND THEIR ASKING PRICE IS $15-17 MILLION. THE CITY AND COUNTY ARE INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR PASSENGER RAIL AND RECREATIONAL USE, BUT NOT AT THAT PRICE. MATA IS MONITORING THE SITUATION AND IS PREPARED TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE CORRIDOR (INCLUDING WORKING WITH MEMPHIS GREENLINE ON JOINT USE) WHEN/IF THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION ISSUE IS RESOLVED.

Could any light rail plan share the rail lines that run along Poplar to Collierville? Or is it not practical to share that with the heavy trains owned by the commercial railroad companies?
THAT RAIL LINE AND RIGHT-OF-WAY IS OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD. MATA HAS HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH NORFOLK SOUTHERN OFFICIALS FROM TIME TO TIME AND THEY HAVE NOT INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THEIR RIGHT-OF-WAY (OR TRACK). BASED ON PAST STUDIES THIS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT CORRIDOR FOR PASSENGER SERVICE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF THE RAILROAD, IT IS UNLIKELY TO ADVANCE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Has the cordova- downtown line really been properly studied because there seems to be a lot of people from that area that work downtown and would be willing to ride it?
A REVIEW WAS DONE OF THIS CORRIDOR AS PART OF THE PHASE 1 REPORT. MATA IS PREPARED TO CONDUCT A MORE DETAILED STUDY AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME (SEE ANSWER TO EARLIER QUESTION). ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN RAPID GROWTH IN THE CORDOVA AREA, IT IS FAIRLY LOW DENSITY, AND THE AREA BETWEEN CORDOVA AND MIDTOWN IS FAIRLY LOW DENSITY AS WELL. IT APPEARS THAT ANY LINE SERVING THIS CORRIDOR WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LARGE PARK-AND-RIDE ELEMENT.

What are the obstacles to getting light rail projects started. Seems like we should be using funds for poposed stadiums for a light rail project instead since it is a better benefit to the public and the economy of the area. It would be better for a vast majority of the population than a stadium would.
FUNDING IS CERTAINLY AN OBSTACLE, BUT ALSO THE PERCEPTION BY SOME THAT IT IS NOT NEEDED. IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO CONVINCE SOME THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO START IMPLEMENTING TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS TO FUTURE PROBLEMS NOW.

How exactly will a light rail line built down Lamar spur development on the street when there won't be a need for anybody to ride it?
RIDERSHIP FORECASTS FOR 20 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE SHOW DAILY RIDERSHIP ON ALTERNATIVE 2 AT ABOUT 10,000 PER DAY. THE LAMAR AVENUE PORTION OF THE LINE MAKES UP LESS THAN ONE-HALF OF THE ROUTE AND ONLY 3 OF THE 8 STATIONS. LAMAR AVENUE IS ADJACENT TO VIABLE NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS GLENVIEW, AND ROZELLE-ANNESDALE. AND, REDEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE REGIONAL RAIL PROGRAM.

At the moment are there truly enough people moving between the airport and downtown to warrant a rail line as opposed to the cordova-downtown line?
20-YEAR FORECASTS SHOW THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 250,000 TOTAL DAILY TRIPS THAT BEGIN AND END WITHIN THE CORRIDOR. THERE ARE STATIONS ALL ALONG THE ROUTE THAT WOULD SERVE A WIDE VARIETY OF TRIPS – NOT JUST TRIPS BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE AIRPORT. IN FACT, FORECASTS SHOW THAT LESS THAN 10% OF THE TRIPS WOULD TRAVEL THE FULL LENGTH OF THE LINE. MOST OF THE TRIPS WOULD BEGIN OR END IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CORRIDOR. THIS PROPOSED LINE IS NOT TARGETED PEOPLE FLYING INTO AND OUT OF MEMPHIS.

If the Lamar line fails, will the whole project be halted?
IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THE FIRST LINE BE SUCCESSFUL. THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER CITIES SHOW THAT SUPPORT FOR LIGHT RAIL GROWS GREATLY AFTER THE FIRST LINE IS IMPLEMENTED.

Will the studies of each corridor be made public and will there be a private firm to back up the statistics that are determined by MATA?
ALL STUDIES DONE TO DATE WILL BE POSTED ON MATA’S WEB SITE SHORTLY. THE PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2 REPORTS HAVE BEEN PUBLIC FOR SOME TIME, BUT NOT POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. THE PHASE 3 REPORT PROVIDES DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN-AIRPORT LINE. ALL THE REPORTS HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY A NATIONALLY-KNOWN PRIVATE CONSULTANT.

Will there be a master plan made public detailing where MATA intends to build the tracts and how they will all connect in the future?
THE LONG RANGE PLAN IS PART OF THE MEMPHIS MPO PLAN. THE PLANNING PROCESS REQUIRES THAT THE FIRST STEP IDENTIFY BROADLY DEFINED TRAVEL CORRIDORS, THEN MORE DETAILED CORRIDOR-LEVEL STUDIES ARE DONE. SO, THERE IS A GENERAL MASTER PLAN, BUT NO SPECIFIC ROUTES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED EXCEPT FOR THE DOWNTOWN-AIRPORT LINE.

What is the status on the intermodal bus station near the airport?
IT IS BEING DESIGNED. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER IN 2007.

Why isn't a hydrofoil ferry being discussed to connect the future Beale Street Landing to the Tunica Riverpark with a MATA route connecting all the casinos to the Riverpark?
MATA COULD PROVIDE INPUT FOR SUCH A STUDY, BUT ANOTHER PUBLIC ENTITY (OR THE CASINOS) WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE LEAD.

Why don't we have Dial-a-Ride service or jitneys in the areas with less density for people who aren't allowed to ride MATA-plus?
INNOVATIVE SERVICES SUCH AS THIS HAVE GENERALLY NOT BEEN ACTIVELY PURSUED DUE TO FUNDING ISSUES. MATA DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY FUNDING FROM SHELBY COUNTY, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN TENNESSEE, OR MISSISSIPPI, WHERE MANY OF THE LESS DENSE AREAS ARE LOCATED.

Is it possible to buy just one light rail car just to show people what the diffrence is between a trolley and light rail on a daily basis?
MATA HAS CONSIDERED THIS. THE MAIN CHALLENGES ARE: A PLACE TO STORE IT, THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAINTAIN IT, AND THE COST ($3 MILLION FOR ONE CAR). WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

Has MATA looked at other cities to see how we can build the most effective light rail system?
WE ARE CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER LIGHT RAIL CITIES. THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN NEW SYSTEMS IN PLACE WITH OTHERS ON THE WAY (CHARLOTTE, PHOENIX AND SEATTLE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION). THE ONES THAT WE THINK WE CAN LEARN THE MOST FROM ARE PORTLAND, DALLAS, SALT LAKE CITY, AND BALTIMORE. OTHER SUCCESSFUL SYSTEMS ARE IN SAN DIEGO, ST. LOUIS, DENVER, HOUSTON, MINNEAPOLIS, SACRAMENTO, SAN JOSE, AND LOS ANGELES.