Over the years, there have been multiple proposals to bring commuter rail service to the Phoenix, Arizona, area.
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Commuter rail
The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and the Arizona Department of Transportation are studying suburban commuter rail as a complement to light rail. The MAG Commuter Rail Strategic Plan was released in March 2008. In April 2008, a coalition of Arizona business and political leaders, including Governor Janet Napolitano, proposed a $42 billion state transit plan which would include commuter rail. Commuter rail generally uses upgraded existing freight rail lines, with stations every three to five miles (8 km). In Phoenix, as in other areas that have implemented commuter rail, track speeds would be increased, signals updated, and additional sidings and double-track added.
Contemporary discussion of commuter rail in Phoenix began with the "Hattie B." flood relief train of 1980, and was first widely promoted in 1991 by the Arizona Rail Passenger Association.
Daily rail service had existed until the 1960s between Phoenix, Glendale, and Wickenburg as well as Tempe and Mesa. A single short commuter rail line was also part of the ValTrans proposal.
Phoenix-Tucson route
Currently, the Arizona Department of Transportation is studying a proposal to create inter-city rail between Tucson and Phoenix, with a corridor along the current I-10 highway.