MAG News

Making your way across the Valley without driving just got a little easier. The Northwest Phase II light rail extension in Phoenix recently opened, connecting Mesa, Tempe, and the West Valley and extending transit opportunities along the now 30-mile-long light rail line. 

A Series of Firsts

The Northwest Extension Phase II project extends light rail west on Dunlap Avenue from 19th Avenue, then North on 25th Avenue, across I-17 at Mountain View Road, and ending on the west side of the freeway at the former Metrocenter Mall. 

The new extension includes three new light rail stations along the 1.6-mile route, which are anticipated to bring 1,400 new riders daily. There are several firsts for the new extension, including the first elevated station, the first light rail only bridge over I-17, and a four-story park-and-ride garage. The multimodal transit center at the end of the line next to the former Metrocenter Mall is named after the late former Phoenix Mayor and Councilmember Thelda Williams, a champion of transit in the region.

Changing the Community

Construction on the Northwest Extension Phase II began in 2020. It is now open two years ahead of schedule. In addition to the new facilities, the project also helped create 3,000 jobs in the region. 

“There has not been a more successful or game-changing light rail program around the United States of America than what has occurred right here in our community – in Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe,” said U.S. Congressman Greg Stanton. “The amount of investment that has occurred – $14 billion — it has changed the face of our community. We are passionate supporters of public transportation.”

The extension is expected to help bolster neighborhoods around the Metrocenter redevelopment area.

Continued Investment

The Northwest Extension Phase II project received $158 million in competitive grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration. The City of Phoenix Transportation 2050 plan provided another $213 million, and regional transportation funding from Proposition 400 provided $30 million. Phoenix Mayor and Maricopa Association of Governments Chair Kate Gallego noted that additional transit improvements, including bus rapid transit, are included in the Regional Strategic Transportation Infrastructure and Investment Plan. The plan will serve as the basis for an extension of Proposition 400 that will be voted on this November as Proposition 479.

“The voters will have a chance to weigh in this November about continuing that investment and making sure we have that great bus service throughout our county,” said Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Chair and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “If our voters had not voted time and time again, we would not be here.”