Since improvements began at the Tren Urbano stations, which will be free through August 2024, there has been considerable speculation about the future of this project, which turns 20 in December and has carried more than 300,000 people this year.
What is clear is that the Autoridad de Transporte Integrado (ATI) is evaluating the feasibility of extending the train to the islet of San Juan through an alternatives analysis study.
This type of analysis evaluates route options and public transportation options for a specific project. The ATI is currently considering the following options for the extension: rapid transit buses, light rail, and heavy rail, like the existing system.
At various public meetings, and online, the ATI has asked residents for input on the project. So far, the agency has received 640 responses, according to the agency.
Recognizing the benefits of public transportation, the Platea team wanted to know which stops our readers most need in the near future. See the responses below and decide whether you agree.
1. Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín
With 38.1% of responses, the most requested location from our readers is the SJU airport in Carolina. Last year, the airport stood out for having the highest passenger traffic in the Caribbean.
A direct rail or public transit connection to the airport would make the travel experience even more accessible. Although the SJU airport is not being considered in the study, the ATI said that the team in charge is reviewing previous studies to evaluate additional connections.
At its most recent public meeting, ATI representatives explained that some of the heavy rail alternatives could be extended on an elevated track along the Baldorioty de Castro expressway.
2. Caguas
The Ciudad Criolla was the second most requested destination among our readers, with 25.1% of responses. That is not surprising, given the heavy vehicle congestion that thousands of commuters experience daily on the stretch between San Juan and Caguas.
Although there were concrete plans to connect the two cities with what was called the Novotrén, the project was abandoned in 2017, just before environmental impact studies were to be conducted.
Its construction would have depended, in part, on federal funds, as do the current improvements and potential extension of the Tren Urbano, which are being subsidized with an injection of more than $470 million directed toward the development and maintenance of public transportation.
Caguas is also not currently included in the areas being studied for the Tren Urbano extension.
3. Viejo San Juan
Viejo San Juan (VSJ) is the third most essential destination on our list. A quarter of our followers said this key tourist area, where traffic and parking problems are common, would be the ideal location for a train stop. Although plans have been presented before, none has gotten very far.
According to the ATI, the VSJ is one of the most studied and viable stops. One of the routes under consideration would extend the train from Sagrado Corazón along Ponce de León Avenue, with stops at the Distrito de Convenciones, and a final station at Covadonga, near the VSJ port.
4. Plaza Las Américas
Among shopping centers, Plaza Las Américas was the most mentioned, and overall the fourth most requested destination, with 20.6% of responses. The location of Plaza was certainly considered, at least in part, in the original design of the Tren Urbano.
Two stations run parallel to both ends of the mall,Roosevelt and Hato Rey, though it is about a 20-minute walk to get there.
Because it is a key nearby consumption hub, other options the ATI is considering, such as streetcars and bus rapid transit, might also be on the table. 21.7% of our readers pointed out the lack of an efficient public transportation system as a barrier to developing new stops.
5. The whole island
One of the most common responses from our readers (17.2%) was that the train should have stops across the entire island, referencing the old Ferrocarril de Circunvalación that ran around the whole island and closed in 1957.
Why across the whole island?
Having a public transportation system accessible across the entire island could bring many benefits. For our readers, some of the most important are:
Fewer traffic jams (39.4%)
Access for more people (24.2%)
Boosting jobs, the economy and tourism (21.2%)
Access to health care (15.2%)
Access to education (15.2%)
More parking (9.1%)
Access for the aging population (9.1%)
On the other hand, expanding the Tren Urbano comes with additional challenges. For our readers, the lack of coordination between political administrations, inefficient planning, high costs and the absence of a supporting public transportation network are among the most pressing concerns.
It should be noted that the Tren Urbano is very different from the Circunvalación.
It is a heavy rail system, designed to move large numbers of people frequently and quickly through a high-density area. Given the costs and permits involved, extensions of this train would be unlikely to reach the entire Puerto Rican coast.
The ATI is, however, considering multiple options in its alternatives analysis, so there may be other public transportation methods that are viable and efficient for reaching more distant municipalities. The other towns and places most mentioned by our readers were:
Ponce (15.1%)
Mayagüez (9.5%)
Arecibo (9.3%)
Distrito de Convenciones (7.7%).
Of these, only the Distrito de Convenciones in San Juan is included in the ATI's current study. The distance between the Sagrado Corazón station and the Centro de Convenciones takes approximately 8 minutes by car.
An invitation to public comment
If you want to share your thoughts, there is still time: visit the agency's portal through this link to let them know what you think about the improvements and potential expansion of the Tren Urbano. To ride the train for free, you have until August, and you can use our stop guide here.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
