Phoenix, Arizona
The Western Link between two Transcontinental Routes
While the Redline Transcontinental Route operates in a primarily due East-to-West alignment, the Southern Transcontinental Route requires a bend downwards to the Gulf. Arizona is the place where the two routes diverge, with the Redline oriented towards Albuquerque, and the Southern Transcontinental oriented to Tucson. The Phoenix - Tucson link is one that has been on the radar for some time for the region, and the method by which that route is implemented orients the planning of Arizona's station selection.
Phoenix also serves as a paradigmatic point of interest within the "Triangle" scheme of rail development--particularly in the West--where water transfer is meant to overlap with certain amounts of transportation infrastructure development. Within the Western Triangle's configuration, Los Angeles links with Phoenix and Las Vegas, and Phoenix links to both as well, forming a triangle. Phoenix's site selection then requires a location that allows for four directions--North, South, East and West. Whereas Los Angeles might easily support multiple stations, it does not seem immediately apparent that Phoenix would need more than a singular station which itself would offer a short distance connection to Tucson.
For the reason of advanced analysis and conditional placement requirements, a Phoenix site would need to be selected based on a variety of factors which are not immediately known, and would be better suited for a collective decision from those with more intimate knowledge of the particulars of Phoenix's geology and immediate needs, for transit as well as water and energy infrastructure.
