The Northwest extension of the light rail through Phoenix, Arizona is coming together off Dunlap and IS-17. The extension, dubbed the Northwest Extension Phase II, will make the first elevated platform for the light rail as well as connect Valley Metro‘s light rail system from Dunlap avenues and extend it 2.6 kilometers to the recently demolished mall.
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“The project also includes new stations, including public art and the system’s first elevated station. Before the global coronavirus pandemic, more than 50,000 riders rode on Valley Metro light rail trains each day. Light rail has proven to be a great source of revenue and economic growth for communities along the light rail route in metro Phoenix. It also makes the unique offerings of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe more accessible to others, attracting new customers, businesses, and jobs to the area. In 2007, the route was divided into two phases; the 5.2-kilometer Phase I on 19th Avenue from Dunlap Avenue to Montebello which opened on March 19, 2016,” Valley Metro stated in an announcement.
The route was split into two phases in 2007; the 5.14km-long Phase I from Montebello to Dunlap Avenue opened in March 2016 when the Council gave the nod for accelerating portions of the potential high capacity or light rail transit system to advance into the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which covers the Northwest Phase II light rail extension. The frequency of the service is expected to be 12 minutes on most of the weekdays, every 20 minutes during late night and early morning. The service will run every 15 to 20 minutes during weekends. Construction work will include the development of a new transit centre for bus service and light rail at Metrocentre. A four-story, park-and-ride lot with a total of 260 parking spaces for the rides and park garage access to the station.
