Phoenix Lands $17.5 Million Federal Build Grant For Safety Improvements

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

September 22, 2020

Signals, Medians & More for 3.2 Mile Stretch of 35th Avenue

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Phoenix nearly $17.5 million through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant. The grant will be used to make a series of safety improvements on the busy 35th Avenue corridor between Interstate 10 and Camelback Road.

The 35th Avenue Safety Corridor Project consists of improvements that advance safety, mobility and economic development in the project area. Targeted improvements include:

• Installing three new pedestrian hybrid beacons (illuminated pedestrian-activated signals) along 35th Avenue at/near the Coronado Road, Grand Canal Multi-Use Path and Turney Avenue intersections to increase mid-block pedestrian crossing opportunities.
• Installing raised medians at various locations throughout the project corridor to provide greater vehicle separation and a safe refuge to pedestrians without restricting existing traffic movements.
• Rebuilding nine signalized intersections to modern standards that allow for support of new traffic technologies and safer operations.
• Installing LED street lighting along the west side of 35th Avenue, completing dual-sided lighting throughout the corridor and improving safety for drivers and pedestrians.
• Milling and overlaying the pavement between McDowell Road and Camelback Road to provide a smooth driving surface and reduce future maintenance needs.
• Installing broadband fiber optic cable to improve the corridor’s capacity for data sharing and allowing for the future integration of autonomous and innovative technologies.
• Updating traffic signal programming to improve roadway efficiency.

Not only does this project improve safety, the addition of broadband fiberoptic cable will enhance economic opportunity in the corridor.

“This segment of road currently serves 250 small businesses and 8,000 employees across a wide spectrum of business sectors, including manufacturing and distribution,” Mayor Kate Gallego explained. “This addition of the most modern infrastructure will spur the attraction and expansion of businesses in this area.”

“This is an area where many students and families walk or bike by necessity – to get to work, school or local businesses,” Vice Mayor Betty Guardado said. “Adding the signals for mid-block crossings will make it safer for all road users, but especially for people on foot or riding bikes. As a city, we will continue to prioritize safe and accessible streets.”

“The plans incorporate raised medians to guide traffic and also give people walking or riding bicycles a safe place to wait while crossing the road,” said Councilwoman Laura Pastor. “The safety aspects and enhanced economic opportunities will be a welcome addition to the area.”Traffic signal optimization is another goal of the 35th Avenue Safety Corridor Project. A 2019 study concluded that traffic signal modernization could reduce travel times by nearly 20 percent, potentially saving 90,000 hours for commuters annually.

“Investment in transportation infrastructure is vital to improving safety. The BUILD grant is an extremely competitive process and receiving a grant to increase safety on one of Phoenix’s busiest roadways by implementing innovative technology will reduce travel time and improve quality of life. I appreciate U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s commitment to provide grants that will improve the city’s surface transportation infrastructure and I’m grateful for the city staff who worked on this important funding opportunity,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams, chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee.

This grant requires a local match of $7.4 million, which the city will fund using Transportation 2050 (T2050) revenues and Arizona Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF), commonly referred to as the gas tax. This initial grant award triggers a series of next steps, including environmental surveys, that will need to be completed before construction can begin. It is anticipated that construction on these improvements could start in late 2022 with a goal of completing construction in the first half of 2025.

About the Project Area

Diverse land uses across this corridor include multi-family residential, commercial and industrial developments along with multiple K-12 schools, two community parks and the campus of Grand Canyon University. This corridor was identified as a T2050 Safety Corridor. T2050 is a voter-approved 35-year sales tax that allows the city to place special focus on transportation, mobility and connectivity needs.

This area of Phoenix is a predominantly young area with 33 percent of the population under the age of 18 and likely to attend one of the 10 K-12 schools in the corridor. Safe access to schools in the area will be enhanced by the addition of signalized mid-block crossings and medians near schools. More than half of the population is between age 18 and 65.

The 35th Avenue corridor is one of the highest ridership areas for bus routes in Phoenix with an average of 5,200 daily riders.

The portion of 35th Avenue between I-10 and Camelback Road is a pedestrian safety ‘hot spot’ where a higher number of pedestrian-related collisions and injuries have occurred in recent years. Increased lighting, signalized mid-block crossings and raised medians will contribute to overall safety, but especially safety for pedestrians.

Street Transportation Home Page Street Transportation News Media Contact Directory

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.