Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has big ambitions for the city’s transportation infrastructure.
He wants to triple the light rail’s mileage over the next 30 years so it can continue to serve important, often overlooked demographics, such as people with disabilities, students and working families. He wants to continue to improve the bus routes, supplementing light rail and providing access farther out in the city. He wants to keep moving forward on downtown Phoenix’s “complete streets” initiative, including the bicycle master plan.
He can’t accomplish these goals alone, though. Stanton hopes to turn these hopes into realities with the help of a “transportation dream team.”
Stanton spoke Tuesday in Civic Space Park with members of that team — as well as other city staffers — to announce the formation of a citizen’s transportation advisory committee.
“As we look ahead to the future of our city’s transportation, we need to hear from you, the people of this city, the people of this Valley, the people of this state,” Stanton said. “We want to hear from citizens regarding the future of our city streets.”
The citizen committee will be led by former U.S. Secretary of Transportation (under President George W. Bush) and former director of the Arizona Department of Transportation Mary Peters.
“So the charge of this committee is to develop a plan for the future of Phoenix transportation, from ideas that come from you, from the residents of this city,” Peters said. “And as everyone has said, we want and need to hear from you. We need to know your ideas because transportation should be a function that serves the citizens and gives them what they need.
Citizens can participate in one of two ways. They can attend meetings in person that are held regularly across the city. Or, they can submit their comments online at talktransportation.org, a new site the city is launching in order to reach more people and collect a greater diversity of opinions.
Kerwin Brown, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce, said businesses boom along the light-rail corridor, making property in those areas more valuable and driving traffic.
“More than ever, entrepreneurs and corporations are making real estate decisions based on the proximity that their offices have to public transit,” Brown said. “Employees and customers want to use bus and rail to reach their destinations. By supporting transportation projects we’re creating a climate where business can thrive. That leads to more jobs than communities and a higher quality of life for everyone.”
Council members Daniel Valenzuela, Thelda Williams and Kate Gallego also spoke at the event. Afterward, a customized city bus and light-rail train were displayed on First Avenue. The two vehicles were wrapped with advertisements for the talktransportation.org site.
“I think everyone here agrees, and I think this community knows, that you can’t be a great city unless you are a great multimodal transportation city,” Stanton said. “Great cities need great transportation and an evolving Phoenix needs to adapt with the times. … So today, we begin to pave the way for the future of Phoenix transportation.”
Contact the reporter at kimberly.koerth@asu.edu
