A years-long collaboration between the city of Tempe and Arizona State University is set to make the area safer for cars and pedestrians, and adjust to the infrastructure needs of a growing city.
Tempe and ASU in 2017 commissioned a “Small Area Transportation Study” to examine current and projected conditions around the Novus Innovation Corridor and downtown, thanks to increased development and rapid population growth.
The study’s strategy was to create a transportation system so residents could walk, bike or take public transit to meet their daily needs, decrease car traffic delays by 5%, improve access and reduce fatal or serious crash injuries to zero. The area studied extended from the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway on the north to Apache Boulevard on the south and from Priest Drive on the west to Price Road on the east.
“Tempe is committed to providing a safe transportation system for all users, and these projects not only provide road safety, but also road equity, acknowledging that streets are not just for vehicles, but for those who use alternative modes of transportation,” said Cathy Hollow, a traffic engineer for the city of Tempe. “The city adopted a Vision Zero policy, a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious-injury crashes. These projects align with that goal.”
The “holistic approach” was a joint effort by the city and ASU to improve the lively downtown Tempe, which is full of cars, bikes and pedestrians walking or using the light rail, according to Hollow.
The two entities continue to collaborate on projects in the works after identifying 11 potential projects based on the study as part of the Proposition 400 process. Prop 400 was passed by Maricopa County voters in 2004, which authorized a 20-year continuation of the half-cent sales tax for transportation projects in the Valley.
Thus far, two of those potential projects have been completed near the university: intersection improvements at Rural Road and Rio Salado Parkway, including dual turn lanes and bus pullouts were completed as of July, and the installation of new median islands on University Drive between College Avenue and McAllister Avenue intended to calm traffic were completed over the summer of 2019.
More projects are still in the early stages or are currently under construction, like aligning Dorsey Avenue at Rio Salado Parkway and pedestrian separation at key intersections, among others.
The upcoming Tempe Streetcar is set to be a game changer for the city and will allow residents to get around more easily and with increased access.
“The Streetcar will provide yet another layer of our public transit system, giving everyone the opportunity to move around the downtown and ASU area,” said Hollow.
“Downtown Tempe is one of the most densely developed regions in the state, and public transportation has the ability to move large numbers of people efficiently and in a more sustainable way that also supports the city’s Climate Action Plan. Eventually, we hope that more ASU students and staff, in addition to large employers, use the Streetcar instead of cars for short trips in the downtown area.”
The 3-mile Tempe Streetcar route starts at Marina Heights/Rio Salado Parkway on the north end and terminates at Dorsey Boulevard/Apache Boulevard on the southern end, according to Valley Metro. Each car will be able to carry 125 passengers.
Hollow added the city hopes to extend the Streetcar’s reach eventually to connect Tempe with Mesa and provide more destinations for residents and students.
The project recently received $17.4 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan to design the extension, though it will not fund construction.
“We are excited for these final steps in the Tempe Streetcar project,” said Valley Metro Rail Board Member and Tempe Councilor Robin Arredondo- Savage in a statement on June 25. “As many residents, visitors and employees see, there is a lot of construction in downtown Tempe, and this is another important project to keep investing in the future infrastructure of our city.”
The improvements are just part of ASU’s continued goal of improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists that make up such a large part of the Tempe campus.
The Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety previously awarded ASU $70,812 in grant money in 2020 to help reduce traffic related issues across its four campuses.
Approximately $25,000 was allocated for a DUI enforcement grant, but $27,195 was dedicated toward speed enforcement, and $18,617 was doled out for pedestrian and bicycle enforcement to help decrease pedestrian-related incidents.
Lindsay is a Phoenix native and is thrilled to be reporting in her hometown.
After spending several years in advertising after college, she switched gears and graduated with her master’s degree in journalism at Arizona State University in 2019.
When she’s not writing, you can usually find her reading a book or playing with her family’s dogs.
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