Phoenix makes list of best places for car-free vacations
Mar 1, 2017, 5:14 AM | Updated: 8:53 am
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PHOENIX — No car, no problem. Phoenix has become one of the best car-free destinations for urban travelers.
Phoenix was one of four cities the New York Times listed as a walkable choice based on light rail and the number of attractions in the downtown area.
Phoenix’s downtown area is home to most of the entertainment and cultural venues, including Phoenix Symphony Hall, Talking Stick Resort Arena, Chase Field and the Phoenix Art Museum. Each is located along the light rail’s route.
The Times noted that the light rail helps small businesses, restaurants and other venues in areas such as in the Roosevelt Row arts district in downtown Phoenix because it increases walking around the city.
“Walkability has encouraged an urban core that wasn’t there before,” Kimber Lanning, executive director of nonprofit Local First Arizona, told the paper.
Having affordable transportation also sets Phoenix apart from other cities.
An all-day pass for a regular rider is only $4 and an all-day pass for reduced riders, for ages 6 through 18 and seniors 65 and over, only pay $2.
The city of Phoenix recently launched Transportation 2050, a 35-year plan, which includes expansion of the bus and light rail service. By 2034, the city of Phoenix plans to add another 40 miles to its route.
This year, the transit authorities have been testing WiFi in light rail cars, and riders may see all of the trains equipped with it by the end of the year or in early 2018.
Other cities that made the list were Denver, Detroit and Los Angeles.