Twenty Years of Transportation Investment, Public Awareness Campaign, The Region's Employers & Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer Economy and Growth, General News, Maps and Data, Public Outreach, Regional Profile, Transportation The following are four things you should know about what’s happening in the MAG region: 1. Twenty Years of Transportation Investment December 31, 2025, marks the end of half-cent sales tax collections authorized under Proposition 400 that helped build transportation infrastructure throughout Maricopa County. Looking back at the last 20 years, Prop 400 funded construction of Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway), Loop 303 in the West Valley and the interim State Route 24 (Gateway Freeway) in the Southeast Valley. To date, the Proposition 400 tax revenue has helped fund more than 440 corridor miles of freeway and highway projects in the region, 315 corridor miles of street improvements, as well as the extension of the light rail and increased bus service throughout the region. In November 2024, Maricopa County voters passed Proposition 479, ensuring 20 more years of transportation investment, with collections beginning on January 1, 2026. Learn about how Proposition 479 will continue to strengthen the economic infrastructure of the region. Prop 479 Projects 2. Public Awareness Campaign On January 1, 2025, the Phoenix metro area registered the worst air quality in the country. According to the monitors reported by Air Now, the region had the third-worst air quality in the world! The record-breaking pollution was caused by consumer fireworks used on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, which emit large amounts of PM-2.5. Learn more about why consumer fireworks are so dangerous in our region during the winter months, and download materials to help inform the public. Fireworks Awareness 3. The Region's Employers The region’s employment landscape is shaped by its largest employers and industries. Growing sectors, along with new key employers, highlight the evolving workforce and reflect the region’s economic growth. Read the Region in Review to learn which industries are driving our economic growth, and see the top ten employers in the region. View the Region's Employers 4. Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer Discover where the region’s jobs and industries are growing with MAG’s Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer. This interactive tool lets you dive into data on major employers, key industries, and foreign-owned companies across the region. Whether you’re curious about top industry clusters or want to see how your community compares, the Explorer makes it easy to visualize and download the latest information. Business, Jobs, and Industry Explorer The Photo of the Month The Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel is the official name for the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel located in downtown Phoenix. It was recently named after civil engineer Dean Lindsey. Opened in 1990, it marked the completion of the final mile for Interstate 10, thereby becoming the last piece of the 2,460-mile Interstate System, which stretches from Jacksonville, Florida, to Santa Monica, California. From an engineering standpoint, the Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel is not actually a tunnel, but rather 19 bridges built side by side over which Margaret T. Hance Park is constructed. Whether you call it a tunnel or a series of bridges, most children in the region know it as the span of road where you have to hold your breath! Sign up to receive this monthly newsletter directly to your inbox. Published October 22, 2025