The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Myla Lutes-Clark
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is looking into restoring passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson. Many are excited by the possibility of expanding travel options, while others are concerned about the project’s costs and feasibility. The study is in its early stages with plenty of time to discuss the merits and potential of a new rail corridor between Arizona’s two major cities. As a Tucson youth climate activist, here are my thoughts.
I have been aboard all three of Arizona’s intercity rail lines. They’re not great. These lines, Amtrak’s Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, and Southwest Chief, are continental long distance lines with daily or less frequency. The poor frequency is made worse by the risk of long delays, making Amtrak in Arizona an unreliable choice for any kind of commuting. Furthermore, no line serves Phoenix, making Arizona’s capital the largest U.S. city to go unserved by intercity rail. In its current state, traveling by rail in Arizona is impossibly inconvenient.
When we’re stuck in traffic jams on roads with potholes, most of us wouldn’t come to the conclusion that roads just don’t work. Instead, we push our government for better funding, since ease of mobility is seen as a simple public good. The same ought to be true for trains. We need to acknowledge that our intercity rail is broken, and instead of abandoning it, we should realize its potential through better investment.
But, why trains? Couldn’t this money be better used to expand Interstate 10? As transportation experts make clear, the way we travel has far-reaching consequences. In 2024, a team of researchers developed a comprehensive analysis of the issues that cars and their infrastructure pose to people and the environment. They determined four general categories in which cars disproportionately cause harm: violence, ill health, social injustice, and environmental damage. The authors make clear that these harms directly result from an overreliance on cars and their infrastructure. To build a healthier, safer society, we need to invest in convenient alternatives to driving.
We must also acknowledge the elephant in the room: Arizona is facing a climate crisis. To protect the lives of Arizonans and our rich ecosystems, it is imperative to curtail emissions and environmental harm in every way we can. Trains use significantly less energy to move people than cars and planes, making passenger rail a central part to climate action in Arizona.
Trains also come with many benefits for commuters. Most of us can agree that driving is a chore — it ties up our minds and eats our time. Worse, if we or another driver makes a bad judgement, lives are at risk. Trains are not only vastly safer, they are also much more comfortable. While the proposed Phoenix to Tucson route is expected to take a similar time to driving, all of that time you might have spent driving can be reclaimed; you can relax with spacious seating, free wifi, and scenic views while being chauffeured across the Sonoran Desert. Even if your commute is no faster than driving, why not hop aboard?
Some who want a faster commute have pushed for ADOT to consider highspeed rail. While more expensive, highspeed rail would be far faster than driving — potentially bringing the commute down to only 30 or 45 minutes. Such a project could even be extended out of Phoenix towards Los Angeles, allowing for a speedy commute between the two metropolises without having to fly. Such a route would connect with the “Southwest High-Speed Rail Network”, a plan to link Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego, and Las Vegas by highspeed rail. This vision is decades off in the future, but if we want to see an interconnected, convenient, and sustainable highspeed system for the Southwest, we need to show our support today.
Most importantly, regardless of whether ADOT opts for high speed or conventional rail, we need to show support for Arizona trains. Allowing Arizona commuters the choice to take the train instead of driving will not just broadly improve everyone’s wellbeing — drivers included — but will be a critical step towards achieving climate resiliency in the desert, all while better connecting our communities. Let’s start riding trains.
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