Valley Metro receives rail for Gilbert Road light-rail extension

Valley Metro has taken delivery of rail for its 1.9-mile Gilbert Road light-rail extension in Mesa, Arizona.

Over the next few weeks, the 80-foot rail sticks will be welded together into 400-foot strings. Progress Rail supplied the rail, which is valued at $500,000, Valley Metro spokeswoman Corinne Holliday said in an email.

The agency anticipates installing the first track in early April.

The Gilbert Road extension calls for adding 1.9 miles of light rail on Mesa's Main Street from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road. The agency broke ground on the project in October 2016.

The total budget for the project is $184 million, according to a Valley Metro fact sheet from 2017's fourth quarter.