Brenna Goth

The Republic | azcentral.com

A south Phoenix light-rail line could open 11 years earlier than expected

The acceleration comes as part of the Prop. 104 transportation plan

Schedule changes for other corridors are minimal

A south Phoenix light-rail line is on the fast track to construction, under a plan to accelerate the city’s long-delayed expansion of the transit system.

The roughly 5-mile extension along Central Avenue — from downtown to Baseline Road — likely will be the first to get a major boost from Transportation 2050, the $31.5 billion transportation plan passed by Phoenix voters last summer. Residents started paying a higher sales tax this year to fund bus, street and light-rail improvements through 2050.

Now, transportation officials are recommending where to speed up light-rail construction that stalled due to funding shortages under previous transit plans. The Phoenix City Council recently approved a schedule that would push forward the opening of the south Phoenix line to 2023, more than a decade sooner than previously scheduled. The changes are expected to be adopted into the regional transit plan this summer.

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It’s an exciting development for south Phoenix leaders who have for years advocated that the area needs better connections to the rest of the city. But the quicker timetable also makes it more pressing to prepare the community that could be affected by the new route, said Victor Vidales, an area leader who has an office along the planned expansion.

Central Avenue is lined with hundreds of small businesses that may not be able to handle construction disruptions, he said. Other local activists are concerned about displacement from rising property values.

“We’re totally different than any other place light rail has gone,” Vidales said.

Why south Phoenix?

The project in south Phoenix has gained more national attention — and funding — than the city’s other proposed light-rail lines.

City voters approved extensions to the Phoenix light-rail system in 2000, but tax initiatives to fund them did not raise as much money as expected and many projects were left uncompleted. The south Phoenix line was included on that voter-approved list as a possibility, after construction of the original line and an extension to Metrocenter mall.

It most recently was slated for operation in 2034, well behind extensions to the state Capitol and parts of west Phoenix. But high transit ridership in the area and local interest in the project helped it emerge as a priority, said Albert Santana, Phoenix's light-rail project administrator.

The project also is one of the city’s most competitive for federal funding, he said.

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In 2014, Phoenix received a $1.6 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to start the assessment and design process. The council recently approved an additional $1.5 million to complete initial work, like project management and financial plans.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recognized the project last year as part of its Ladders of Opportunity Transportation Empowerment Pilot program. It’s one of seven nationally that are included in an initiative to improve communities through transit.

In the award, the department noted south Phoenix needs infrastructure improvements to develop its workforce and promote neighborhood revitalization. City staff will also this year prepare a grant proposal for the Fiscal Year 2018 President’s Budget.

“We want to make sure we take advantage of that,” Santana said

Tempered excitement

Construction on the corridor could start as early as 2019. Transit officials are still finalizing the design and cost of the extension.

Several proposed stations would be close to social services, as well as destinations like the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center.

The benefit to south Phoenix will be twofold, Vidales said. Neighborhood residents will be more connected to education and job opportunities, he said, and outside visitors can enjoy the cultural and natural attractions of the area.

Some revitalization projects hinge on light-rail construction. The proposed corridor, for example, helped leverage grant funds for Plaza de las Culturas, which would create a mixed-use development on about 80 acres of brownfield land.

But light rail also will bring challenges to the area, neighborhood leaders said. Community groups must help with planning now to avoid changes to the character of the area or displacement of its current residents, said Armando Ruiz, founder of Espiritu Community Development Corporation.

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Construction could also affect more than 250 businesses with 10 employees or less that need diligent planning to prevent disruption, Vidales said.

“We’re excited about the opportunity, but it’s tempered excitement,” he said.

The city plans to initiate this year a business-outreach program, Santana said. Valley Metro and the city offer assistance such as marketing and promotions to help the community during construction.

It's an earlier start than for previous light-rail construction, he said, to reflect lessons learned from earlier impacts. Many business owners along the 19th Avenue extension opening next month, for example, complained about traffic snarls and difficulties for customers trying to reach their shops.

“You can always do better,” Santana said.

Light-rail delays

Not every neighborhood will receive light rail as quickly as south Phoenix under the new plan.

The extension to Metrocenter will move up three years, to 2023. Routes in northeast Phoenix and west Phoenix will stay on the same schedule, opening in 2034 and 2026, respectively.

But part of an 11-mile extension along Interstate 10 to 79th Avenue will be moved back, from 2023 to 2030. The delay reflects the difficulty to fund major projects without phasing them in, and the desire to work with West Valley cities, Santana said. The first stage of that route, going to the state Capitol, will maintain its 2023 opening date.

That means city officials are are planning to open routes to Metrocenter, south Phoenix and the state Capitol in the same year.

Council members who supported the acceleration to south Phoenix also advocated for speedier construction in their districts. West Phoenix residents have expected the I-10 extension for years, Councilman Michael Nowakowski said before voting on the schedule.

“I want to figure out a way where we can actually put it back on target,” he said.

That schedule could change, Santana said. Projects depend on a combination of federal, regional and local funding. The city also is looking at public-private partnerships as one way to accelerate construction.

“They’ve been on the map,” Santana said. “They’re all priorities for Phoenix.”