The Transportation 2050 plan targets infrastructure that will empower commuters, like bike lanes and expanded walkways along Phoenix's unique canal system. Presented by SiemensUSA.
In this sprawling city where vehicles are a necessity, affordability and accessibility are primary concerns. But driving everywhere isn't always the most practical or appealing option. Add headache-inducing traffic to the mix, and the demand for alternative ways to get around is high.
"It really convinced me that we need a system that works for everyone in every part of our city," Gallego told Insider. , a bipartisan project led by Gallego and approved by voters in 2015, details several infrastructure improvements with this goal in mind. For instance, it describes extending Phoenix's light-rail, which carries 26,300 people to their destinations every day, by 42 miles, bringing service to south, north, and west Phoenix neighborhoods.
The plan also involves extending bus services to unserved major streets and broadening bus and accessible transportation hours. Both changes aim to make public transportation an option for the entirety of residents' commutes or as supplements to light-rail commutes as opposed to needing a private vehicle for some or all of a trip. The city plans to add lighting or shade structures at 780 bus stops and use only carbon-neutral buses by 2040.
Over the next couple of decades, the city plans to add 135 miles of sidewalks and 2,000 streetlights. The plan includes nearly 1,100 miles of new bike lanes, some of which would be protected with additional buffer space or vertical elements to insulate them from car traffic. Gallego also thinks there's potential to improve active transportation beyond the city streets."We have more miles of canals than Venice, Italy," Gallego told Insider."Our canal system is a wonderful asset, and the city wouldn't have risen without those canals — they're why we exist as a city. They're incredibly important for delivering water to our community, but they can also be central to transportation.
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