Stimulus Dollars Help Build Next Bus Rapid Transit Project

Agency News

Phoenix, AZ (Oct. 22, 2009) Construction of Valley Metro’s second arterial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will begin in November with the award of a contract to D.L. Withers Construction by the Valley Metro Board of Directors. The overall construction project will include 20 BRT stations along Arizona Avenue and Country Club Drive and two artistic shelters located in downtown Chandler.

“This is an exciting step towards providing the second Valley Metro LINK bus service connecting residents from south Chandler, Gilbert & Mesa to METRO light rail,” said David A. Boggs, Valley Metro executive director. The Valley’s first arterial BRT route, called Valley Metro LINK, travels between Superstition Springs Center along Power Road to Main Street linking the METRO light rail at Sycamore Station.

Originally funded by Proposition 400 funds, the construction project would have been halted due to a downturn in sales tax revenues if not for the funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Valley Metro Board selected the Arizona Avenue/Country Club Road BRT project construction for the stimulus funding in May.

The cost of construction is $3,926,600 and will include shelter construction, landscaping, lighting, utility relocation, data and power hook-ups, dynamic messaging signs for bus arrival information and bike racks.  Additional elements of the project also funded by stimulus dollars include fare vending machines, traffic signal priority system and some of the right-of-way acquisition.

The Arizona Avenue/Country Club Road LINK bus service is scheduled to begin July 2010 at the same time the construction is estimated for completion.

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Valley Metro/RPTA provides eco-friendly public transit options to residents of greater Phoenix and Maricopa County, including a clean-fuel bus fleet, low-emissions light rail,  a bio-diesel Dial-a-Ride fleet, online carpool matching and bus trip mapping, and bicycle and telework assistance. Funding is provided by local, state and federal revenues; and administered by a board of 15 governments working to improve and regionalize the public transit system.