On a unanimous vote, the Phoenix Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee has approved a new light rail line along Indian School Road.
With that approval comes a reallocation of $153M in transit funds that had been planned for a different line along Camelback Road that was dropped years ago.
Expenditures for preliminary engineering and community feedback will not start until 2036 if the Indian School Road line earns the approvals it needs from the Phoenix City Council, Valley Metro and the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Expected benefits from the new line include improving access into the Maryvale portion of Phoenix, enhanced access to high-activity areas, and improved mobility for residents near the line who are currently dependent on bus-only transit services.
If approved and built, the Indian School Road line will connect to the planned I-10 West Extension at 75th Avenue and Thomas Road and to the existing light rail lines at either Central Avenue and Indian School or 19th Avenue and Camelback. An extension to the medical district around Banner Estrella hospital at Thomas Road and 91st Avenue is also under consideration.
The end-of-line options, station locations and other details will be part of the 2036 planned public input process.
By approving the line now, officials say they are trying to give residents and businesses as much notice as possible.
Council scrapped plans for a light rail line following Camelback Road and reaching to 43rd Avenue in 2019. At the time, future money for the line was reallocated for street repair on Camelback and was scheduled to become available this year. That was paused when officials began looking into the new line, and officials said there would be no problem with the Phoenix Streets Transportation Department shifting the $153M in funding back to public transit uses since the funding had not yet been included in the Department forecast. (Source)
