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First light rail line west of I-17 opens Saturday
Northwest Extension Phase II connects to Metrocenter
Valley Metro light rail workers watch a test train on the tracks of Northwest Extension Phase II. (Courtesy Valley Metro)
Posted
The Valley will soon have a new connection from Mesa, Tempe and downtown Phoenix to northwest Phoenix.
The Northwest Extension Phase II light rail project will officially open for service on Saturday. A ribbon cutting and community celebration is being planned on that day to commemorate the occasion.
“As Phoenix continues growing, so does the need for reliable, affordable transportation options that can connect Phoenicians to opportunities all over town,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego stated in a news release. “Whether it’s going to work, to the doctor’s office, or to visit loved ones, I believe every person should be able to get where they need to go without relying on a car. The Northwest Extension II -- by way of the newly named Thelda Williams Transit Center -- is going to deliver on that vision, while at the same time helping us reduce carbon emissions in the long-term. Three years in the making, the extension is going to breathe life into neighborhoods around the Metrocenter development, accelerate private and public investment in the area, and improve quality of life for Phoenix residents.”
Renderings show the bridge to Thelda Williams Transit Center at Metrocenter, the final stop on the Northwest Extension Phase II light rail line. (Courtesy Valley Metro)
Renderings show the bridge to Thelda Williams Transit Center at Metrocenter, the final stop on the Northwest Extension Phase II light rail line. (Courtesy Valley Metro)
The 1.6-mile extension expands light rail service farther into northwest Phoenix running west from 19th and Dunlap avenues, going north on 25th Avenue, then west on Mountain View Road crossing the I-17 freeway to the redeveloping Metrocenter area.
This extension introduces unique features including the first elevated rail station, a rail-only bridge over the I-17 freeway and seven community-driven public art installations. The project also includes a transit center named in honor of former Phoenix Mayor and Councilmember Thelda Williams, who also served as Chair of Valley Metro Rail.
Other project features include:
3 new light rail stations
Four-story parking garage
200 new trees along with enhanced landscaping
In addition to federal grants, funding of the extension comes from Phoenix Transportation 2050 and regional Proposition 400. This project builds upon the success of the Northwest Extension Phase I, which opened in 2016.
In 2016, the Phoenix City Council approved accelerating segments of the future high-capacity transit system under the Transportation 2050 plan. As a result, construction on the project began in 2020 and is opening two years ahead of the original 2026 projected opening date.
“The opening of the Northwest Extension Phase II is a remarkable milestone in Valley Metro Rail’s vision to provide multi-modal connectivity across our region,” stated Phoenix Councilmember and Valley Metro Rail Board Chair Laura Pastor. “Extensions like this demonstrate our ongoing commitment to deliver high-quality public transit that our region both needs and deserves.”
Since light rail service began in metro Phoenix in 2008, the system has attracted more than $17 billion in public and private investment development with another $2.1 billion in planned commercial and residential development. This extension is expected to spur continued community investment and economic growth in northwest Phoenix and serve thousands of new riders each day.
