Riding the Light Rail to downtown Phoenix from Glendale Community College, connecting with the bus


Although I'm looking forward to the Light Rail being extended out to Glendale, as of this writing, the end of the line is at 19th Avenue and Dunlap. I've been following the story, and the plans are to build it to Metrocenter, which is only about a mile away from there, but it will take some serious engineering (I'm looking forward to seeing the bridge over the freeway, which is supposed to be about half mile north of Dunlap!). Then hopefully it will proceed on Dunlap, which becomes Olive, to Glendale Community College, which is near where I live. Well, we'll see. But even if they do, it's gonna take a while, so in the meantime you have to make the connection with a bus.

The distance from GCC to what I'm calling "the end of the line" (19th Avenue and Dunlap) is about six miles, and the Dunlap bus is 90. A city bus, of course, stops quite often, so it takes a while to cover the distance. When you get on the Light Rail, however, everything changes. The Light Rail moves! It doesn't have to stop for traffic, it doesn't have to stop for lights, it only stops at the Light Rail stops. And in between, it flies! So sit down and hang on.

Valley Metro One-Day Pass. It's good on the Light Rail, also. All day.

Now waitaminute, before you wander out to the bus stop, go to Walgreens or Circle K and buy a One Day Bus Pass. That will get you on the bus, and on the Light Rail round trip. As of this writing it's four bucks and I defy you to try to get from Glendale to downtown Phoenix and back for four dollars. And you don't have to fumble for change or try to get dollar bills into a slot while other people are waiting. Get an All Day Pass. I bought four of them today at Walgreens. They have a picture of a cactus on them.

When you get on the bus, and insert the bus pass, it's activated. From that point on you can only use it for that day. And you don't need to do anything when you get on the Light Rail but have it in your pocket. There isn't an old-fashioned conductor going around shouting "tickets", but it's the same idea, and they spot check. And if you don't have a pass, there are Police Officers who will politely ask you to get off the train, and quite possibly make you have to do other unpleasant stuff, like paying a fine, and being barred from ever using the train again. So be sure you have the pass. Put it in your pocket so that you can show it if asked, although you probably won't be.

You can get off at any Light Rail stop, and get back on all day long. When you're ready to go home from downtown, just get back on the Light Rail, this time going the other way (Washington goes to the end of the line, Jefferson goes to Mesa). Then walk across Dunlap and the 90 bus takes you back to GCC.

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