Valley Metro concluded a fourth round of community meetings March 6 as it presented its West Phoenix High-capacity Transit Alternatives Analysis to the public. The project looks at how best to improve high-capacity transit in the west Phoenix study area of Camelback Road, south to McDowell Road; Central Avenue west to 99th Avenue.
The Alternatives Analysis began in fall 2022 and is scheduled to conclude in May 2024, with action by the Phoenix City Council on the recommendation. If approved by the council, the project will move forward to the preliminary design and environmental analysis phase.
According to Marty Ziech, capital planning manager with Valley Metro, who presented at the March 6 meeting, the project is included in Phase 4 of the Maricopa Association of Governments MOMENTUM 2050 regional transportation plan, which puts a construction timeline between 2041 to 2045 (https://azmag.gov/Programs/Transportation/Regional-Transportation-Plan-RTP).
While both Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and light rail were considered for this study, the final recommendation is for light rail to travel from the station at Central Avenue and Indian School Road west to 75th Avenue, then south to Thomas Road, and west to the Desert Sky Transit Center at 78th Avenue. An optional route extension would take it as far west as 91st Avenue.
The recommendation will be presented to the Citizens Transportation Commission, March 28, and the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee, April 17, and City Council, May 1. Find public meetings at www.phoenix.gov/cityclerk/publicmeetings/notices. Learn more at www.valleymetro.org/westphoenix.
