METRO Milestones

September 1996
Tempe voters approve a permanent half-cent sales tax dedicated to transit.

Major investment study initiated for light rail starter line.

March 2000
Phoenix voters approve a four-tenths cent sales tax increase to fund transit over 20 years.

November 2000
Final light rail alignment approved.

September 2001
First property purchased for the light rail system at Camelback Road and Third Avenue.

December 2001
Tempe City Council approves concept for light rail bridge over Tempe Town Lake.

January 2002
Vehicle design concept unveiled to public.

April 2002
During subsurface utility engineering work in Tempe, workers find several pieces of bone and broken pottery identified as 700-year-old Hohokam remains. Workers also discover an irrigation tunnel under the Union Pacific Railroad that was built in the 1800s.

October 2002
METRO, the agency that will design, build and operate the Valley’s light rail system is formed. METRO is an Arizona nonprofit corporation formed by the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa and Glendale.

March 2003
METRO board approves “cool screen” station design. Design incorporates multiple shading and cooling elements.

April 2003
Public “Name the Train” campaign begins generating more than 7,000 submissions, including 3,400 individual names.

November 2003
Groundbreaking for the reconstruction of an access bridge over the Grand Canal at 48th Street leading to the Maintenance and Storage Facility.

December 2003
METRO approves a $115 million contract with a joint venture between Japanese manufacturer Kinkisharyo and the Mitsui Company to produce 36 vehicles for the Valley’s light rail system.

The name METRO chosen as the new operational name for the system in a “Name the Train” contest.

METRO hires Rick Simonetta as CEO. 

March 2004
Vehicle paint scheme and logo are approved. 

October 2004
Groundbreaking for Maintenance and Storage Facility.

November 2004
Maricopa County voters pass Proposition 400, which provides funding for additional transportation improvements Valleywide, including 27.7 miles of light rail extensions to the planned system.

January 2005
Full Funding Grant Agreement signed, providing METRO with $587 million in federal funding for the 20-mile starter segment.

February 2005
Groundbreaking event held at Tempe Beach Park, future site of the Tempe Town Lake light rail bridge. Official kickoff of construction for the light rail line sections.

November 2005
Design of METRO prototype vehicle unveiled by the mayors of the three cities.

February 2006
METRO board authorizes purchase of 14 additional light rail vehicles under its contract with Kinkisharyo, bringing the METRO fleet to 50.

March 2006
The first 200 feet of light rail track is installed near the Phoenix/Tempe border at Washington and 56th streets.

December 2006
METRO takes delivery of its first light rail vehicle. The vehicle is shipped in four pieces atop four flatbed trucks.

Tempe Town Lake Bridge is illuminated for the first time at the APS Fantasy of Lights boat parade event. More than 20,000 attendees—triple the event’s usual attendance—turn out to see the five-minute light display that kicks-off the parade.

February 2007
METRO unveils its first fully-assembled vehicle.

March 2007
Structural steel is erected on the first METRO station at Van Buren Street and First Avenue. 

Vehicle testing begins on the METRO test track, a one-mile section of the alignment on Washington Street between 48th and 56th streets, when engineers use a Brandt car-mover to tow LRV 101 along the tracks.

October 2007
First station art installed at the First Avenue and Jefferson Street station. Artist Stephen Farley’s “Downtown Justice” features terrazzo commemorative discs honoring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and former Lewis & Roca managing partner John Frank, the attorney who argued the Miranda case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

April 2008
Completion of final guideway concrete pour creating 20 miles of continuous track.

September 2008
First class of METRO vehicle operators begin training.

November 2008
Vehicle testing occurs across all 20 miles.

The Northwest Extension completes 95% design review with the stakeholders along the route.

December 2008
Final assembly and safety certification of last car, car #150.

The 20-mile METRO starter line opens for service on Dec. 27. More than 200,000 people ride the system during the two-day grand opening Dec. 27-28.

January 2009
Revenue service begins Jan. 1 after five free-ride days achieving nearly 500,000 riders.

February 2009
METRO extends service hours and wraps four vehicles and two stations for NBA All-Star events, Feb. 13 – 15.

April 2009
METRO achieves its first one-millionth ridership month with 1.044 million boardings and an average weekday ridership of 37,386.

May 2009
METRO Board of Directors approves a measure to extend service hours on weekend nights until past 2 a.m.  Extended weekend service began July 1, 2009.

June 2009
METRO average weekday ridership in the first six months of operation is 30 percent greater than the original projection.  Saturday and Sunday/holiday service are even higher at 41 percent and 85 percent respectively.

METRO Board of Directors approves the Central Mesa Locally Preferred Alternative as light rail on Main Street to Mesa Drive.  The extension is scheduled for completion in 2016.

July 2009
A regional fare increase occurs affecting all Valley transit services.  The base fare of $1.25 increases .50 to $1.75.  A base-fare increase has not occurred in the Valley since 1994.

August 2009
City of Phoenix receives $3.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for METRO light rail improvements, including expansion of the Central/Camelback park-and-ride by 200 additional spaces and installation of 430 shade canopies at METRO park-and-rides in Phoenix.

September 2009
METRO enters into an agreement with US Airways Center/the Phoenix Suns to pilot a program that integrates light rail and event ridership.  US Airways event tickets serve as valid light rail fare four hours prior to the event through the end of the transit day.  The first “Rail Ride Event” was Game 2 of the WNBA Finals with the Phoenix Mercury vs. Indiana Fever on Oct. 1.

October 2009
METRO enters into an agreement with CBS Outdoor, Inc. to serve as administrator of METRO’s system advertising program, which allows for vehicle wraps, vehicle floor decals and station advertising.

December 2009
METRO Board of Directors hires and completes a five-year employment agreement with Stephen R. Banta as the new METRO CEO; he began on Jan. 20, 2010.  Banta replaces Rick Simonetta who served as METRO’s first CEO for six years.

February 2010
METRO’s first full train wrap, as part of the system advertising program, is sold to Grand Canyon University.

April 2010
METRO achieves its highest ridership month and days on record, serving 1.2 million riders and as many as 55,000 in one day.

May 2010
METRO and US Airways Center renew the “Rail Ride Event” program for five additional years.  The program allows consumers who purchase a ticket to any event at US Airways Center to ride METRO light rail at no additional cost, on the day of the event. 

June 2010
METRO launches the METRO Max Rewards program that provides riders with incentives – discounts and special offers/events – to visit the amazing array of businesses along the line.  It is a free program for businesses and riders.  Visit http://www.metrolightrail.org/metromax for more details.