Valley Metro and the city of Phoenix are planning a light rail extension west down Indian School Road, and have asked the community to help shape the route.
The Phoenix City Council voted in favor of the west Phoenix alignment on Jan. 27. The approximately 10-mile extension would run down Indian School Road from 19th Avenue before turning south at 75th Avenue.
At a meeting Wednesday night at Maryvale High School, Valley Metro and the city asked for community input on the planned extension, which could connect the rail network to Desert Sky Mall.
More than 100 people gathered to share their thoughts.
Among the topics were where residents want the extension to join with the existing lines.
One proposed alignment has the extension connecting at Indian School Road and Central Avenue. The other alignment would connect at 19th Avenue and Camelback Road.
Ismael Morales, a local transit influencer known online as the LA Guy in Phoenix, said he prefers an Indian School alignment that intersects with Central Avenue.
“The more options that you provide to residents here in Phoenix, especially Maryvale, it could provide access to not just downtown, but to the East Valley,” Morales said.
Morales, who works in Maryvale, said the West Valley community is in need of high-volume transit.
Another topic the city and transit agency wanted feedback on was how to best assist small-business owners throughout construction.
Maribel Molina owns Alpha & Omega Auto Sales on Indian School Road. She said the light rail extension is a waste of tax dollars.
“The small business assistance programs, that's not going to give us 27 years of our livelihood,” Molina said. “That is not going to cover food on our table. That's only something that's temporary, but it's not going, that's not what's going to support us.”
Molina said the community meeting was useless because Valley Metro and the city are “blowing smoke.”
The light rail extension is scheduled to be completed in 2036.
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