by Matthew Holloway | Jun 27, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
After 28 years, the sound of passenger trains arriving in Phoenix could return as soon as 2030. The Federal Railroad Administration has approved the essential scoping documents that will allow the Arizona Department of Transportation to create a Service Development Plan, completing the first stage of the Phoenix-Tucson Intercity Passenger Rail Corridor Study.
The effort will propose passenger rail service along a 158-mile corridor between the greater Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas and will include re-routing the Amtrak Sunset Limited back through Phoenix according to ADOT.
According to Federal Railroad Administration’s FY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program Selections, “The proposed corridor would reconnect Phoenix (Buckeye) to Tucson, AZ, with multiple daily frequencies. The proposed corridor would reinstate service on an existing alignment over which Amtrak discontinued service in 1997, rerouting the long-distance Sunset Limited to a more southerly alignment through Maricopa, AZ (the corridor would use the same route as the existing Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle between Picacho and Tucson, AZ). The corridor sponsor would enter Step 1 of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan.”
Step 1, as described by the 2022 document, has now been completed.
The Sunset Limited Route, and Amtrak service overall, was diverted from Phoenix following the attack that resulted in the derailment of the train at 1:35 a.m. on October 9, 1995, near Palo Verde, Arizona, 70-miles southwest of Phoenix.
The infamous derailment caused the death of an Amtrak employee and serious injuries to 12 others, along with minor injuries to 100 of the 258 passengers aboard. It remains one of the most famous cold cases in FBI history with no suspects despite a $310,000 reward still offered by several agencies for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attacker.
Since 1997, Phoenix has remained disconnected from the Amtrak Intercity Rail system with riders required to use buses or drive to the Amtrak depot in Maricopa, Arizona, 38-miles to the south, or about an hour’s drive in traffic.
Democrat Congressman and former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton hailed the announcement in a post to X writing, “I’ve been fighting to restore Amtrak service to Phoenix for a long time, and today it’s one step closer to becoming a reality.”
In a written statement, current Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs commented, “This is a big step forward for Arizona. I am committed to creating a bright transportation future for our state that fosters economic growth, creates jobs and expands transit opportunities for working people and families.”
The second stage of the process, the creation of a Service Development Plan, is expected to take two to three years after a crucial federal grant is approved, which is anticipated in the weeks to come per ADOT. The study, already funded with a $10.6 million budget, will include technical analysis of “capital and service requirements for passenger rail service; preliminary engineering and costs for capital improvements, such as stations, parking lots and trains; station locations; [and] service scenarios based on ridership potential.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 7, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Ahead of the upcoming session, Arizona legislative Republicans are working on commonsense solutions to problems that their constituents are facing.
Late last year, Clay Robinson shared a story on X about the context to a bill introduced by State Representative Pamela Carter for the next legislative session – HB 2009. Robinson wrote, “A couple weeks ago, during deployment pre-mobilization, our JAG officer was signing ADOT vehicle license tax waivers for service members.”
He added, “Of course, I wanted to take advantage of this exemption. When I called ADOT, they had informed me that if I had already paid the tax for the year, I could not use it for a refund and instead could use it when I get back, per existing statute. Understandable, but annoying.”
When Robinson realized that there could be a statutory fix to this issue, he touched base with state legislators in an attempt to make his proposal a reality. According to Robinson, “The fix would be simple: allow for refunds, and create a 30-day window prior to mobilization with valid orders to use the exemption.”
In addition to Carter, who introduced the legislation, Robinson thanked her colleagues, Representatives Matthew Gress, John Gillette, and Rachel Jones, “for being responsive and open to constituent ideas.”
Gress responded to Robinson, saying, “Thanks for bringing this idea to us, Clay Robinson. This is what representative government looks like! A great bill sponsored by a great seat mate, Pamela Carter.”
Robinson ended his post with an encouragement to other Arizonans who might have other proposals to bring before their legislators. He said, “All this to say: you DO have a voice in your government. You CAN change the law. Mine is a small change, but I believe it will help more service members in the Arizona National Guard who are mobilized to support contingency operations across the globe and remove unnecessary barriers to financial assistance. HB 2009 still has a long way to go, but I’m excited to be a part of the process, even from a distance!”
The 57th Legislature – First Regular Session is quickly approaching, with Arizona Republicans controlling more seats in both the state House and Senate than the previous two years. Republicans will be again forced to contend with a divided state government with Democrat Katie Hobbs occupying the Governor’s Office.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Aug 27, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
One Arizona Republican is thinking about improvements to the state’s infrastructure in the intermission between legislative sessions.
This week, State Senator David Farnsworth issued a press release, announcing his intent to look for “responsible ways to financially support necessary improvement projects with future legislation for a smoother commute down the road.”
Farnsworth shared that “according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), current funding from all state and federal sources only allows for the repaving of about 1% to 2% of all lane miles per year. As a result, these surfaces are only receiving necessary rehabilitation every 50 to 100 years! In 2012, pavement conditions on nearly 60% of ADOT’s statewide road system were classified as ‘good.’”
The release added, “However, ADOT reported that number has consistently dropped over the years, and in 2022, just 29% of pavement conditions were classified as ‘good,’ while 65% were classified as ‘fair,’ and 6% as ‘poor.’ According to ADOT’s estimate, in order to just maintain a ‘good’ classification for only 29% of the state’s lane miles, repaving would need to increase to 5% of all lane miles annually, costing an additional $1 billion.”
“Maintaining our transportation system should be a top government function, but this principle has fallen by the wayside for many years, creating a bumpy and hazardous drive for hardworking Arizonans and the truckers bringing goods into our state,” said Senator Farnsworth. “While we’ve seen vast technological advances in the automotive and trucking industries over the past decade, we’ve also witnessed a mass migration of new residents to Arizona, and with the evolution of the electric vehicle, there has been increased wear and tear on our roads requiring immediate attention. It’s critical we take a deep dive into potential policy reforms in the coming months to enhance the funding stream for our transportation system to function as necessary and appropriate.”
Senator Farnsworth serves as his chamber’s Transportation Committee chairman.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Mar 1, 2024 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office used the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) drone to film the Pride flags on the Executive Tower last June.
AZ Free News is only now reporting on these facts because it took nearly nine months for the governor’s office to respond to our public records request.
Public records revealed that ADOT’s lead drone pilot captured at least 15 clips — over 21 minutes of raw footage — of the Pride flags hanging on Hobbs’ office. The displayed flags were the version of the rainbow Pride flag known as the “Progress Pride” flag, due to their inclusion of white, pink, and blue to represent transgenderism, and black and brown to represent both non-white individuals and those who died from HIV/AIDS.
The display was the first of the kind by the governor’s office. Hobbs previously hung a mainstream Pride flag while secretary of state in 2019, but legislative leadership removed it after several hours. Hobbs revealed the Pride flags on the first day of Pride Month.
“Kicking off pride month leaving no room for doubt that in Arizona, we celebrate the light and energy the LGBTQ+ community brings to our state,” said Hobbs.
ADOT drones are intended for inspections and surveying work on state infrastructure, such as highways and bridges. They were acquired about six years ago through a combination of state and federal funding.
ADOT received much of its drone fleet through a Federal Highway Administration-sponsored Arizona Council for Transportation Innovation program in 2018. At the time, the drones cost $18,100 in federal funds and over $4,500 in matching state funds.
According to public salary data from 2022, ADOT’s lead drone pilot makes over $79,200 a year: an average of $41 an hour on a 40-hour workweek. Drone piloting also requires certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which generally costs around $200.
As part of the display, public records documented how Hobbs invited guests to watch her unfurl the flags from the balcony and stand with her on the ground floor to admire the flags from below. Hobbs then hosted an hour-long “Pride Roundtable” with those guests.
Among those present at the roundtable were advocates of transitioning children’s genders, including those with personal experience like Lizette Trujillo. She was accompanied by her daughter, 15-year-old Danny, who identifies as a boy.
Other advocates present included two men identifying as women: Gaelle Esposito, lobbyist with Creosote Partners, and Jeanne Woodbury, interim executive director for Equality Arizona.
Additional public record requests revealed that the governor’s office sourced the flags from Phoenix Pride, the LGBTQ+ activist organization behind the annual Pride Festival. The organization reached out to the governor’s office last Easter.
Last year’s Pride Festival drew controversy for including overtly sexual displays such as genitalia and fetish costumes, nudity, and condom bars. Conversely, Hobbs’ takeaway from the festival last year was that the LGBTQ+ community was one of love and light.
Hobbs identified LGBTQ+ policies as her main priorities throughout her gubernatorial campaign. Her first executive order prohibited gender identity discrimination in state employment and contracts; however, Hobbs campaigned on taking anti-discrimination protections even further.
The governor promised to enact protections similar to those in Civil Rights laws: bans on LGBTQ+ discrimination in housing, education, adoptions, foster care, insurance, public accommodations, and credit procurement, as well as a ban on law enforcement profiling based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Aug 31, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A legislator is speaking out and demanding action just days after the release of a concerning report from Arizona’s Auditor General about the Arizona Department of Transportation’s oversight of Motor Vehicle Division’s third-party service providers.
On Monday, Republican Representative David Cook, who is the Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, transmitted a letter to Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Director Jennifer Toth, outlining his fears over the issues raised by the Auditor General’s report and demanding action to address the matters.
In a statement that accompanied the release of his letter, Cook said, “When state agencies outsource their important government functions to third parties, and those third parties fail to meet their legal obligations and are not properly supervised as required by law, Arizonans suffer the consequences. In this instance, those consequences are particularly severe and threaten the public safety.”
Chairman Cook, in his letter to Director Toth, expressed alarm over the report that was published last week by the state’s Auditor General, who found that the “Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) failed to ensure authorized third party companies consistently issued vehicle title, driver licenses, and identification cards only to qualified or authorized individuals and entitles, increasing public safety risks such as unsafe drivers, vehicle and identity theft, fraud, and terrorism.”
The lawmaker noted his appreciation that the Department “agrees with the Auditor General’s findings and plans to implement all the recommendations.” Yet Cook was unwilling to allow ADOT to fall back into its shortcomings over a lack of oversight, stating his belief that “it is imperative that you exercise your statutory authority to take immediate remedial action to prevent an increase in the public safety risks that the Auditor General has already identified.”
Cook highlighted that ADOT’s proposed changes to the Auditor General’s findings were “drafted and are in the pilot phase,” pointing out that “it does not appear that MVD made any significant process during the six months following the Auditor General’s audit.” He asked Director Toth why MVD “hasn’t simply adopted its previous oversight procedures that were consistent with the Auditor General’s 2015 recommendations.”
The Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee didn’t hold back his feelings, writing that “these astonishing results are unacceptable and require an immediate response.” He requested that ADOT “(1) suspend or cancel the authorization of the three third-parties deemed ‘high-risk’ in the Auditor General’s report; (2) direct your Office of Inspector General and/or another appropriate division in your office to investigate all third party companies for compliance with A.R.S. Title 28, Chapter 13, article 1; (3) rescind the defective quality assurance process adopted by MVD in February 2022; and (4) immediately implement a revised oversight process per the Auditor General’s recommendations.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
