Tempe is getting roughly $12 million in federal funds to make a nearly 4-mile stretch of Baseline Road safer for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians alike.
The money will bring enhancements like dedicated turn lanes, marked bike lanes and high-visibility crosswalk striping.
Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton, a Democrat, said the planned improvements will address a critical need on the local level.
“This has been a very dangerous stretch of road,” said Stanton. “There have been 35 fatal accidents just in the last few years, including seven fatal accidents involving pedestrians.”
Stanton said the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents a significant national investment, but securing the funds wasn’t easy.
“This wasn’t a giveaway,” he said. “This was a competitive grant program that Tempe was successful at because of the quality of their proposal.”
Stanton praised the city’s Vision Zero plan, adding that infrastructure investments are essential because they facilitate daily life for Arizonans who rely on a variety of ways to get around.
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