South Central Extension

v t e South Central Extension
Legend
to Metro Parkway Washington/ Central Avenue Jefferson/ 3rd Avenue Downtown Hub to Gilbert Road/Main Street Union Pacific Phoenix Sub Lincoln/ 1st Avenue Lincoln/ Central Avenue Buckeye/Central Avenue Salt River Pioneer/Central Avenue Broadway/Central Avenue Roeser/Central Avenue Southern/Central Avenue Baseline/Central Avenue All stations are accessible

The South Central Extension is a light rail expansion project in Phoenix, Arizona. It will run from Downtown Phoenix south along Central Avenue to Baseline Road, adding 5.5 miles (8.9 km) and seven stations to the Valley Metro Rail system, while connecting with two park and ride locations. ^[1] Service is expected to begin in mid-2025, with the B Line of the Valley Metro Rail system operating from Metro Parkway to Baseline/Central Avenue. ^{[2] [3]}

The South Central Extension project is also constructing a new central station in downtown Phoenix, centered on the block bounded by Central Ave, First Ave, Washington St, and Jefferson St. The Downtown Hub project will give Valley Metro additional flexibility for operating rail services, allowing trains to short turn in Downtown Phoenix during peak hours and special events. ^[4]

Service pattern

Trains along the segment are planned to operate as a new line, originating at Baseline Road and running to the Downtown Hub before taking over parts of the existing light rail system and continuing north to the terminus at Metro Parkway. ^{[5] [6]} An additional 17 light rail vehicles will also be purchased to accommodate the increase in runs. ^[7]

History

After receiving environmental approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in January 2017, ^[8] the project entered the design phase. Plans to reduce the number of general purpose lanes on Central from four to two to accommodate light rail tracks were initially met with backlash, ^{[9] [10]} and the city council's decision to proceed with initial plans prompted groups to initiate a ballot measure aimed at stopping all Valley Metro Rail funding (which ultimately failed). ^{[11] [7]} Construction began in 2019, with completion expected in 2025.

In 2021, the city of Phoenix began offering financial aid to business along South Central Avenue which had been affected by heavy construction for the project. ^[12]

References

1. "South Central (Fact Sheet, Q2 2017)" (PDF). Valley Metro Rail. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
2. "Two-line System Map" (PDF). Valley Metro. 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
3. "South Central Extension/Downtown Hub". Valley Metro. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
4. "Light Rail Hub Coming to Downtown Phoenix". City of Phoenix. September 27, 2017. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
5. "South Central Light Rail Expansion Environmental Assessment" (PDF). Valley Metro. Federal Transit Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
6. www.valleymetro.org https://www.valleymetro.org/project/south-central-extension-downtown-hub . Retrieved February 22, 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. Wanek-Libman, Mischa (December 7, 2020). "Valley Metro secures $638 million for South Central Light Rail Extension". Mass Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
8. "South Central Extension Step Closer to Reality". Valley Metro. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
9. Flaherty, Joseph (June 21, 2018). "Bowing to Protests, Phoenix Will Reconsider South Central Light Rail Design". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
10. Trierweiler, John (June 20, 2018). "Phoenix light rail extension: City to look into design of system". ABC15. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
11. Boehm, Jessica (November 28, 2018). "Phoenix voters may again decide the future of light rail". AZ Central. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
12. Parrish, Madeleine (December 28, 2022). "Small businesses struggle along light rail construction despite financial assistance from Phoenix". AZ Central. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

External links

• Project website