After a Jan. 27 vote by Phoenix City Council, the next 10-mile extension of the Valley Metro Light Rail is planned to connect in North Central (photo courtesy of Valley Metro).
With a 7-2 vote on Jan. 27, the Phoenix City Council chose to re-evaluate high-capacity transit options for west Phoenix and prioritize the proposed West Phoenix corridor along Indian School Road, putting a halt to current project development and the Capital Investment Grant process for the Capitol Extension (CAPEX).
The decision shifted away from the much-anticipated CAPEX project, which would serve as a connector between the existing downtown line and the future I-10 Extension. Both of these extensions have been supported by voters on multiple occasions, and there was significant support at the January meeting to stay on track with the projects, which could have seen completion by 2029 and 2033-34, respectively. There were also dozens of Indian School Road business owners who showed up to voice their opposition to light rail on that arterial road. Although, through the Valley Metro online survey, many expressed Indian School Road as a preference.
District 4 Councilwoman Laura Pastor, in a social media post following the meeting, said, “Last night, I voted in support of the Capitol Extension. West Phoenix and Maryvale deserve timely investment and the same opportunities other parts of the city have received. The decision made last night halted progress on a voter-approved project, put federal funding at risk, and stepped away from years of community feedback that helped shape the Capitol Extension. While this vote did not go the way I hoped, my commitment to fighting for equitable transportation investment in our communities has not changed.”
For their part, the city of Phoenix said that they and Valley Metro “remain committed to advancing high-capacity transit to west Phoenix to meet significant demand, support mobility in this corridor and to continue to deliver upon the community’s vision for transit and transportation.”
The city added, “We will advance planning of the West Phoenix corridor along Indian School Road. Comprehensive community engagement will be central to this work, ensuring we hear from all residents, business owners and stakeholders along the corridor as we develop solutions that serve the needs of west Phoenix.”
As the focus shifts to Indian School Road, the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) route approved in 2024 will need refined to select a connection point to the existing light rail in central Phoenix. As of its adoption by the city council (May 2024) and Valley Metro board (June 2024), that connection could be either at Central Avenue and Indian School Road or at 19th Avenue and Camelback Road, which would travel a mile south to Indian School Road. From there, the roughly 10-mile extension would travel to 75th Avenue, turning south to Thomas Road and terminating at the Desert Sky Transit Center.
Next steps will include a more refined right-of-way assessment, preliminary engineering including station locations and a refined operating plan. Construction could begin by 2032-33, with completion estimated in 2036-37.
Residents can stay up to date on next steps by signing up for project updates at www.valleymetro.org/emailnotices and visiting the West Phoenix Alternatives Analysis project page: www.valleymetro.org/project/west-phoenix-high-capacity-transit-alternatives-analysis.
