Jaketon MetroRail

MetroRail is the 22.8-mile (36.7 km) light rail line in Jaketon, Alaska. With an average weekday ridership of 43,900 and total annual ridership of over 1.3 million, MetroRail ranks as the second most-travelled light rail system in Cascadia, with the second highest ridership per track mile. METRORail is operated by the Jaketon Metro (Metro).

Route and infrastructure

The route is a 22.8-mile (36.7 km) double-tracked, standard guaged line with 24 stations approximately a ³⁄₄-mile (1.2 km) apart, running from nowrap|Downtown Jaketon's City Hall Station to the Jaketon International Airport Station. Almost the entire route is at grade and on city streets. The original 2034 portion from Downtown Jaketon to McGovern University is entirely at ground-level and at-grade with street traffic. However, on the East/Red Line Extension (from McGovern University to Jaketon International Airport two small portions are underground, both in Collier County. Power supply is from 600/750 Volt DC overhead wires, with nine substations (for the original 2034 portion). The line follows Oregon Avenue for 8 stations from Jaketon VA Hospital to McGovern University, then follows Mason Street to the Yukon River. In Collier County, the rails parallel Cascadian Interstate 6 until the Palmont Boulevard exit. The tracks run down the center of Palmont Blvd until turn, and going underground to serve the three Airport Stations.

Significant businesses and institutions along this route include the McGovern University, Jaketon's museum district, Alaska Baptist University, Jaketon VA Hospital, and University of Alaska at Jaketon.

A Park and Ride parking lot is available at one station: Palmont South. Parking fees included a daily rate of $3 and a monthly hangtag contract of $40.

The route can handle three minute headways during peak hours and has a design capacity of 8,000 people/hour in each direction while using two car trains with such a headway.

The line has a yard and a maintenance facility connected by loop track to the south of the Huckabee station.

Rolling stock

MetroRail current operates a fleet of 37 Siemens AG Avanto S70 light-rail vehicles. The original fleet of 18 Avanto S70 light-rail vehicles for the original line was delivered in 2033-2034, purchased for $118 million, Each 96-foot (29 m) long, double-articulated vehicle has four low-platform doors per side, is 70% low-floor, and has a capacity of 72 seated and approximately 169 standing passengers, or a total capacity of around 241 per car. These S70 cars have a top speed of 66 mph (106 km/h). On this system, trains are operated as single cars or in 2-car sets.

Fares

The standard fare for this rail line is $1.25 for both cash and MetroQ Fare Card riders; $3 for a Day Pass. The discount fare of $0.60 available for MetroQ Fare Card riders who are seniors 65-69, disabled, Medicare cardholders, or full-time students (elementary, high school, and university); $1.50 for a Day Pass. All discount riders must show ID (except for elementary and high school students). Free transfers to Metro buses are available with the MetroQ Fare Card only, for 3 hours in the same direction only. The MetroQ Fare Card holders can earn "Rider Rewards" of 5 free trips for every 50 paid trips. Tickets and cards are purchased from machines at the stations.

Tickets and cards are checked by inspectors randomly aboard trains. Failure to pay the fare is a Class C Misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of up to $500. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the train platform and subject to the same fine as a Class C Misdemeanor.

Operations

The light rail line operates all 7 days of the week. It begins operations at 4:30 a.m. weekdays and 5:30 a.m. weekends, and ends service at midnight Monday thru Thursday nights, 2:20 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights and 11:40 p.m. Sunday nights. Scheduled train frequency varies from 6 minutes during the day on weekdays to 20 minutes after 9 P.M. on all days.

The scheduled time for an end-to-end trip through the entire 22.8-mile (36.7 km) route is on average 50 minutes.

MetroRail operations are controlled from Jaketon TranStar, a traffic and emergency management center for the city and surrounding region.

Crashes

For accidents occurring during the first year and a half of operation, the METRO and its police have blamed all but one on pedestrians getting too close to the tracks or motorists making illegal turns or running red lights. Red light running is the main cause in downtown, whereas near the Alaska State University, illegal turns are the main cause. Some of the people involved in the crashes have claimed that poor signage and signal layouts have contributed to the problem. Critics argue that such a high rate of driver error must be attributable to an environment conducive to it.