Commentary: Let the voters decide Phoenix-area's transportation future

Let’s start with the good news: The transportation infrastructure in Maricopa County — roads, freeways, bridges and transit — has fueled our economic momentum over the past 40 years. The transportation funding plan – known today as Proposition 400 (Prop. 400) — has been a powerful example of collaboration, compromise and coalition-building to deliver a robust, multi-modal network that provides freedom of mobility and economic opportunity.

This is not an easy thing to do. If we had to rank priorities to fund transportation projects across Maricopa County, each of our lists would be different. The transportation choices of cities, towns and tribes in the region also differ from one another; yet mayors and other elected leaders from 32 cities, towns, counties, and tribes, representing more than four million voters worked together and unanimously agreed on a plan to extend this funding stream.

This compromise took more than four years of work, including over 500 meetings and feedback from more than 10,000 residents. More than 100 businesses and organizations, from WESTMARC and the PHX East Valley Partnership to AARP Arizona, American Lung Association, and Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG), want the voters of Maricopa County to have the opportunity to vote on this plan.
Now, because Maricopa County is the only county in Arizona that needs legislative approval to call an election, it is up to the Legislature and governor to act. Here’s why they must act soon.

The extension of Prop. 400 is needed to continue the success of four decades by continuing major investments in defined freeway improvements, arterial improvements, and transit capital projects. The extension of Prop. 400 establishes a public process to ensure the short term and long-term regional needs are addressed now and into the future. Such investments include safety improvements, intersection improvements, traffic signal coordination and roadway reconstruction. Based on stakeholder feedback, the plan nearly doubles the amount the region invests in bus operations to expand the reach of bus service while also setting aside funding to test new and emerging transit markets. Simply put: the Prop. 400 extension plan provides options and freedom to get around the Valley. Without it, our region will see an exponential increase in gridlock, pollution and lost economic opportunity.

In addition to transportation options, Prop. 400 is a critical economic driver. Property values within 1/4 mile of light rail appreciated 316 percent between 2000 and 2019, compared to an average of 150 percent countywide. Eighty percent of jobs in Maricopa County are within two miles of a light rail corridor or freeway. Extending Prop. 400 means high-paying job opportunities in industries including finance, healthcare, construction, and our advanced manufacturing sector.
Extending Prop. 400 also means less congestion for a region that continues to lead the country in population growth. Less congestion means improved air quality with better health and lower costs, especially for those that suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. And Prop. 400 is the only dedicated funding source for ADA paratransit services for older adults and the disabled, providing transportation for individuals who may have no other options.

Getting unanimous agreement from policymakers and elected officials of different political parties on major infrastructure investments rarely happens these days. If mayors and local elected leaders representing diverse communities and interests can come together to unanimously support an all-of-the-above transportation proposal, the Legislature shouldn’t stand in the way of giving voters the opportunity to vote. Let’s get the extension of Prop. 400 to the ballot and allow Maricopa County voters to determine their own transportation future.

Sintra Hoffman is the President and CEO of WESTMARC — the Western Maricopa Coalition — a public-private partnership of the 15 communities, the business community, and the educational sector in the West Valley of the Greater Phoenix region. Diane E. Brown is the Executive Director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG) and coordinates the Coalition for Transportation Choices, which includes representatives of organizations that advocate on behalf of senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, consumers, public health, community interests, and local economic impacts.