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1/29/2024
Valley Metro, federal, state and local leaders gathered with community members on Jan. 27 to mark the opening of the Northwest Phase II extension of light-rail service in Phoenix.
The project included a series of firsts for Valley Metro, including the first elevated station, the first rail-only bridge over Interstate 17 and a multimodal transit center named after regional transit champion, former Phoenix Mayor and Council Member Thelda Williams.
The project was the first funded by the Federal Transit Administration under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez in a press release. Fernandez congratulated Valley Metro and city officials for the project’s completion on budget and earlier than expected.
The new extension includes three stations and is anticipated to initially attract 1,400 new riders to the system daily. Crossing I-17, the line provides greater transit access to the West Valley, connecting current and future riders with opportunities in central Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, Valley Metro officials said.
The project received $158 million from the nationally competitive Capital Investment Grant program through the FTA. The city’s Phoenix T2050 funds provided $213 million and regional transportation funds from Proposition 400 provided the final $30 million. Construction began in 2020.