Council OKs grant-funded west Chandler canal paths
Courtesy of City of Chandler
This map shows the Highline Canal on the left and the Kyrene Branch on the right, near Kyrene Road in west Chandler. The Chandler City Council approved more than $4 million in mostly grant-funded contracts Aug. 13 to create a concrete shared-use path along both canals.
In the spirit of calling itself a bicycle-friendly city, Chandler is about to embark on one of the larger recent shared-use trail projects it’s ever undertaken on the far west end of the city.
The Chandler City Council, by unanimously approving its Aug. 13 consent agenda, approved three contracts related to planning and construction of the Kyrene Branch and Highline Canal shared-use paths, with grant funding picking up about 94% of the $4.373 price tag for the paths.
The project will add concrete paths to existing unpaved paths along both canal banks, which run close to the Tempe-Chandler city border along Ray Road, between 54th Street and Kyrene Road.
The dual-element project — several years in the making — will enhance the pedestrian and bicycle facilities along Salt River Project canals, connecting to the regional trail network at the Chandler-Tempe border, a news release states.
The council member who asked for a presentation on the project, Matt Orlando, had high praise for the concept and the community input gathered during planning.
“It’s an exciting project several residents keep asking about,” Orlando said. “Everyone will love it, I think.”
Jason Crampton, Chandler’s transportation planning manager, told Council that since the project carries into Tempe, it was important for grant funding to cover much of the overall project costs, as it’s a Chandler-run project that will benefit some Tempe residents.
“In fact, the northern end of the Kyrene Branch project will be inside the city of Tempe, and the traffic signal that helps riders and pedestrians get across Kyrene Road (at Knox Road) will be owned and operated by that city,” Crampton said.
The roughly 1 mile of Kyrene Branch improvements will start at the Knox-Kyrene intersection and follow the canal to the southwest, past the Lavender Farm and through neighborhoods, crossing Ray Road and ending just south of Linda Lane.
The Highline Canal improvements begin at the existing concrete terminus at the Chandler-Tempe line and continue southwest along the canal to Orchid Lane, or about a quarter-mile.
Crampton said improvements will include, in addition to the concrete paths, lighting, landscaping and irrigation, wayfinding signs and pavement markings, as well as new bike lanes installed along Orchid Lane and 54th Street.
Improvements made within SRP right-of-way are for non-motorized transportation only, a staff report states. Motorized vehicles, including electric bicycles, are not permitted within SRP right-of-way.
In an effort to deter illegal motorized vehicle activity along the Kyrene Branch Canal, the report states, Chandler staff worked with SRP to have temporary gates installed, which prevent mid-size and large motorized vehicles from accessing the canal bank.
The project went through extensive public outreach during project planning and design phases. The Transportation Policy Division hosted open-house public meetings about the project as long ago as August 2022.
This project was identified in the city’s 2019 transportation master plan as a recommended near-term project.
Early feedback led the project team to make several design changes, the staff report states, including removal of a proposed traffic signal at Ray Road, adding private property and other signs and eliminating a sidewalk gap along Kyrene Road.
The news release states the construction management agreement was awarded to Dibble CM LLC. The construction agreement was awarded to KLASS Services Inc. and the post-design services agreement was awarded to Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.
The completion time is 450 calendar days from the issuance of a notice to proceed, the staff report states. KLASS Services Inc. was chosen from among five bidders for the main contract, with its $3.530 million bid the only one of the five that was less than $4 million.
The grant, according to the staff report, is a $3.329 million Federal Highway Administration congestion mitigation air quality grant.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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