Scottsdale and Phoenix officials are refusing to release a taxpayer-funded study of a planned pedestrian crossing linking Scottsdale Quarter to Kierland Commons.

The two cities are splitting the cost of the $15,220 report that was ordered to resolve a dispute involving Scottsdale, Phoenix and the two shopping districts on the best way to provide a midblock crosswalk and possibly other traffic changes on Scottsdale Road.

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Kierland and Scottsdale Quarter are separated by Scottsdale Road. For the past two years shoppers have been crossing the six-lane road, some of them avoiding traffic in the middle of the block, where there is a landscaped median but no marked crosswalk.

The Republic has made written requests under the state Public Records Law to Scottsdale and Phoenix to release the traffic report conducted by Kimley-Horn Associates Inc. Both cities have denied that request.

"At this point in time, the release of the draft traffic study would have a harmful effect on the ongoing negotiations of the parties and the ability to bring this project forward," Annie DeChance, a Scottsdale public-information officer, said in an e-mail response last month.

Sina Matthes, a Phoenix public-information officer, echoed that response in an e-mail Monday.

"We will provide you the report once negotiations are concluded and the report is no longer a draft," Matthes said.

Paul Porell, Scottsdale's traffic engineering manager, said the consultant was asked to evaluate multiple alternatives for the midblock crosswalk and left-turn lanes into the shopping centers, which currently are not allowed.

Among the alternatives is prohibiting midblock pedestrian crossings.

The traffic consultant presented the pros and cons of the various alternatives but did not make a recommendation on a preferred alternative, Porell said.

Scottsdale, Phoenix and shopping center officials will meet to "see whether we can reach a conclusion on the most appropriate alternative," he said.

No date has been set. Phoenix is scheduled to meet with Westcor, the Kierland owner, and Scottsdale is awaiting word from Phoenix on a meeting, Porell said.

Westcor spokeswoman Kimberly Hastings would say only that the company is working with the two cities to "evaluate (the) next steps."

John Seifert, Phoenix deputy street transportation director, said last month that the traffic report is a work in progress and it would be "unfair to present it now."

The dispute over the crossing surfaced in the fall, but it involves lingering issues between Scottsdale and Phoenix over protecting their respective retail sales-tax revenue.

Scottsdale Road is the dividing line between Scottsdale and Phoenix in this area. Five of the six traffic lanes are in Scottsdale, so the cities must agree on traffic changes.

Scottsdale refused to allow midblock access into Kierland Commons when it opened in 2000, saying the intersection would be too close to the traffic signals at Butherus Drive and Greenway-Hayden Loop.

Phoenix still wants a left-turn lane into Kierland, and that has complicated the design for a safe pedestrian crossing.

Scottsdale required Glimcher, the Scottsdale Quarter developer, to install a pedestrian crossing as part of the zoning approval for the shopping district. Scottsdale Quarter opened in March 2009.

Glimcher paid the city $157,625 for the crossing, but the installation stalled in October when Scottsdale and Phoenix could not reach agreement on the design.

Glimcher officials were unavailable for comment.