The City of Phoenix continues construction near ASU’s Downtown campus initially begun last month, which is aimed at improving pedestrian accessibility in the downtown area.
The City of Phoenix contracted with TALIS Corp. to create pedestrian improvements on First Street between Fillmore and McKinley streets, and on Pierce Street between Central Avenue and First Street. Construction began on July 18.
ASU students may be inconvenienced by ongoing construction near campus, but the outcome aims to improve a foot-traveler’s experience.
“Construction is never any fun, but unfortunately it’s a part of life,” said Cronkite student Blake Higgins. “The sooner it’s over, the better.”
Improvements will be made in two phases and are expected to be completed on schedule by the end of November, said Lori Tearce, the City of Phoenix planning and development spokeswoman.
The project includes wider sidewalks with access ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, new curbs and new gutters.
Additionally, bike racks, benches and trash receptacles will be installed as well as trees planted for shade. New street and pedestrian lighting will be added.
Phase one, which includes First Street, will construct angled parking on the west side of the street and parallel parking on the east side.
Asphalt, curbs, gutters and sidewalks on First Street have already been removed and APS has removed existing street light poles, Tearce said.
A new water main pipe and storm drain has been installed and existing fire hydrants have been relocated. Installation of new curbs and gutters on the east side of First Street is 90 percent complete, irrigation for landscaping on the east side of First Street is currently underway and trees were recently delivered, Tearce said.
ASU is providing temporary parking to customers of the impacted restaurants, which include the Phoenix Public Market and Royal Coffee Bar, Pizza Hut, The Breadfruit, Turf Irish Pub, Sens and Matt’s Big Breakfast through the duration of the construction, said journalism junior Vaughn Hillyard in an email.
Patrons will be permitted two hours of free parking on the western portion of the McKinley Lot. ASU residence hall students will park on the eastern half and in other assigned lots, Hillyard said.
Although A-frame signs have been strategically placed to indicate that businesses and restaurants are open during construction, many of the business are feeling the results of the current limited accessibility.
“Business is not good, (since) most of our business was traffic business,” said Kathleen Burns, a bartender for Turf. “We have created ‘Construction Specials’ to try and get people to come in and are counting on ASU students to be our night crowd.”
First Street has been closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic since July 18 and is anticipated to reopen to traffic by mid-September.
During this closure and weather-permitting, the contractor will work on completing the improvements on the east side of First Street which will require working overtime and weekends to reach the mid-September goal, Tearce said.
In mid-September, pedestrian traffic will be switched to the east side of First Street and improvements will be made on the west side of the road. Tearce added that parking along the east side of First Street will be provided at this time.
The second phase will start in mid-September, at which time Pierce Street will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The construction will also include restoration of sidewalks with historic glass block skylights, making room for the future installation of artist-designed shade canopies adjacent to the Phoenix Public Market.
Keith Mulvin, Phoenix Public Market employee, said the construction on First Street is definitely hurting business but hopes the upgrades will encourage more ASU students to come to the market.
“It will be worth it in the end,” Mulvin said.
Contact the reporter at kendra.yost@asu.edu
