Light Rail Extension on the Right Track in Phoenix

Checking in with the South Central light rail extension that will add six miles and 11 stations of light rail transit serviced in Phoenix.

1 minute read

January 23, 2018, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Phoenix Light Rail

Chris Curtis / Shutterstock

"Just five years from now, the Valley’s existing light rail system is scheduled to reach south Phoenix," reports Joseph Flaherty.

According to Flaherty planners and designers are hard at work on final elements like station design and public art, and "a variety of unknowns regarding how construction, increased traffic, and a business upswing may impact the historically underserved community."

Flaherty is reporting on the project as Valley Metro hosts a series of community meetings to gather input on the final phase of the project. Flaherty attended one of the first community meetings, gathering the temperature of residents on the forthcoming work. Final work on the project accelerated after the Phoenix City Council approved $50 million in funding in 2016, and voters approved Transportation 2050, a 35-year transportation plan, in 2015. The federal government provided final environmental clearance for the project at the beginning of 2017.

Friday, January 19, 2018 in Phoenix New Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

3 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

5 hours ago - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation