Court: Phoenix Transit Spending Initiative Stays on the Ballot

The whole idea of public transit will be up for reconsideration in Phoenix on August 27.

1 minute read

July 29, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Valley Metro Rail

You Touch Pix of EuToch / Shutterstock

The Arizona Supreme Court has decided that a ballot initiative to halt expansion of the Phoenix light rail system will remain on next month's special election ballot, reports the Associated Press.

Opponents of the ballot initiative alleged that paid signature collectors contributed to the signature gathering campaign—a practice prohibited at the state level but not the local, according to the article.

The special election will be held on August 27. If approved, the ballot measure would re-allocate funding originally intended for light rail expansion projects, spending the money on road projects instead.

Previous coverage of the ballot initiative on Planetizen:

Wednesday, July 24, 2019 in AP via ABC 15

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

Downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset with new 6th Street Viaduct arches in foreground.

Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025

Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.

February 21, 2025 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Informational plaque in front of paved walkway next to tall green trees in Black Hawk State Historic Site, Illinois.

Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design

Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.

32 minutes ago - Harvard GSD

Lush Five Rivers Metropark in Dayton, Ohio with flowers and green trees on a sunny day.

A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton

Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.

1 hour ago - Dayton Daily News

Close-up of worker installing white electric heat pump outdoors.

Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating

A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.

2 hours ago - MIT News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.