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Valley Metro's construction of the Northwest light-rail extension in Phoenix has been accelerated by seven years, agency officials announced yesterday.

The project, which involves extending the route along 19th Avenue from the current end-of-line north 3.2 miles to Dunlap Avenue, has been given the green light to accelerate completion from 2023 to 2015, Valley Metro officials said in a prepared statement.

Final design is under way and construction is slated to begin in early 2013, they said.

The project initially was scheduled to open this year. But in 2009, the recession caused in a drop in local sales tax revenue, prompting officials to postpone the project to 2023. The economy's improvement and expected economic boost by the project itself prompted officials to put the project back on track.

"This project is an investment in the community I believe in and will prove to be a great benefit with its completion," said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.

The project is one of six high-capacity/light-rail extensions planned for the Phoenix area. It will extend rail service farther north into Phoenix, capturing new riders, serving high-density neighborhoods, and getting closer to the Interstate 17 freeway and its employment centers, Valley Metro officials said.