Development

Phoenix buys land, will build pedestrian bridge to revitalize Salt River

City puts nearly $50M toward Rio Reimagined efforts

A child and adult help pick up trash in the Salt River. Rio Reimagined is an effort to revitalize more than 45 miles of the Salt River into an area that can both be used for recreation and community connection and as a catalyst for economic growth. (Courtesy Rio Reimagined)

The effort to refurbish parts of the Salt River in the Valley began at Arizona State University in the 1960s.

The effort was promoted by late U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor and late U.S. Sen. John McCain and led to completed projects like Tempe Town Lake and the Audubon Center in Phoenix.

Phoenix City Council is now helping to keep that dream alive, by last week approving the purchase of 29.5 acres in the “Rio Reimagined” area and the approval of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge to be built.

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