Sky Train Coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor

Sky Train Coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor

By: Trevor Freeman

Have you heard about the new project that’s underway at Sky Harbor Airport? It is big, expensive, and very, very cool.

I’m talking about the Sky Train – the new rail system that will link all of Sky Harbor with the Metro Light Rail system that runs between Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. When completed in 2020, the new trains will ferry passengers from the 44th Street and Washington rail station all the way over to the Rental Car facility at 18th Street and Buckeye Road. The train will make stops at the East Economy parking garages as well as Terminals 2, 3, and 4.

The massive project calls for constructing new stations, trains, and 4.9 miles of elevated track across the entire airport. This will allow travelers to quickly and easily traverse the airport while reducing traffic congestion and pollution on the roadways by up to 20,000 cars per day.

But that’s not even the best part. What has me excited is the stretch of track between the East Economy Garages and Terminal 4, which will open to the public in 2013. Here, the Sky Train will truly live up to its name as it soars 100 feet above the ground on a graceful concrete arch bridge over the jetway.

Yes, you heard that right. The train will cross over a ramp that passenger planes use for taxiing between runways. Passengers will zip along at 35mph in air-conditioned comfort while Boeings and Airbuses roll right beneath their feet. It will be the first and only place in the world where a train crosses over an airplane.

The Sky Train project is massive by any scale: the total cost is estimated at $1.1 billion dollars. Annual ridership is projected to be 10 million people per year. And the fact that the final phase of construction won’t be complete for another 10 years is also a big deal.

When Phase One opens in 2013, you can bet I will be there to go for a ride.This beats the heck out of the Disneyland Monorail I rode as a kid!And unlike Disneyland, the Sky Train will be free of charge and run on a 24-hour schedule.

The Sky Train is an awesome feat of engineering and logistics that will really bring Sky Harbor into the 21st century. I am eagerly looking forward to the project’s completion.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.

If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.

Save Big with Arizona Solar Rebates by Trevor Freeman

Save Big with Arizona Solar Rebates

By: Trevor Freeman

Phoenix, Arizona is famous for its clear, blue skies and sunny days. With over 200 days of sunshine per year, the nickname “Valley of the Sun” is no exaggeration. The abundant sunshine also makes Phoenix an ideal location for solar energy.

A solar panel is a device that converts light energy into electrical energy in the form of direct current. When one or more panels are linked together (such as to power a residential home), it is called a photovoltaic array, or PV array for short.

The market for residential PV arrays has been heating up like crazy during the past several years. One reason is that people are becoming more conscious of the environmental effects of using grid power, which comes from sources like nuclear and natural gas power plants.

However, one of the biggest incentives for going solar is the financial savings. Homeowners are completely at the mercy of local utilities, which seem to raise the rates more often than they lower them.

Solar helps you save some cash...

With solar panels, a homeowner can generate most (if not all) of the energy they will need to power their home. Any extra energy generated can be sold back to the utility company, which typically pays $1 or $2 dollars per kilowatt-hour in Arizona.

Best of all, a wide variety of federal and local rebates, tax breaks, and other discounts are available to help reduce the cost of purchasing and installing a photovoltaic system. A complete list of Arizona solar rebates and tax credits can be found at this website: http://solar.calfinder.com/rebates/Arizona

A 5-kilowatt solar panel array for a single family home costs between $20,000 and $40,000 on average. The majority of systems are typically still connected to the power grid, which can supply power as-needed, such as on cloudy or rainy days for example.

High-end residential solar systems may be completely disconnected from the grid. These are often found in rural and remote locations where the cost of running utility lines is prohibitively expensive. These systems may use a bank of deep-cycle batteries to store solar energy.

With an off-grid system, the sky is the limit in terms of cost. Installations may range from $60,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on the home’s energy needs.

If all of this sounds fantastically expensive, don’t panic. There are still steps you can take to reduce your energy costs without spending a fortune. Two of the most popular ways are by installing a solar water heater or solar pool heater for your home.

Phoenix Sun

A water heater is often the biggest culprit for energy usage in a single-family home. By installing a solar water heater, you can save some real money on your electric bill each month. Best of all, solar water heaters typically cost between $1,000 and $3,500 installed. Solar powered swimming pool heaters range between $3,000 and $4,000 for a complete system.

If you haven’t looked into solar energy before, I would encourage you to do some research. You might be surprised at how much you could be saving!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.

If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.