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PHOENIX TO PRESENT PLANS FOR DOWNTOWN TRANSPORTATION CHANGES
Improvements could alter streets to improve traffic flow, add bike infrastructure
The city of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is seeking input from residents, commuters and business owners on proposed changes to the downtown streetscape to improve traffic circulation, make it easier to access public transportation, and increase economic development potential for local businesses. The changes, such as transforming some one-way boulevards into two-way streets, resulted from a study of a variety of transportation-related elements in the city’s core, interviews with stakeholders, and meetings with community focus groups. Proposed changes would be phased to accommodate five-year, 10-year, and longer development timeframes.
People interested in providing feedback on the proposed changes can attend one of two public open houses at the Arizona Commerce Authority first floor reception room, 333 N. Central Ave.
4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27
At the meetings staff and consultants will be available to answer questions and solicit comments on the changes. Using feedback from these meetings, the city and Maricopa Association of Governments will finalize a proposal for a downtown transportation plan to be adopted by the Phoenix City Council.
The plan area encompasses downtown Phoenix, bounded by McDowell Road on the north, Buckeye Road on the south, Seventh Avenue on the west, and Seventh Street on the east. It also will include the freeway loop between Interstate 10 (I-10) and Interstate 17 (I-17) surrounding the downtown core.
The downtown transportation study is part of a wider effort by regional planning agencies called “Building a Quality Arizona.” The BQAZ project involves numerous stakeholders to plan for future infrastructure needs statewide, including central and downtown Phoenix. For more information on Phoenix participation in the regional transportation planning process, visit bqaz.org.
