About the Project
The City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department is in the early planning stages of a project to revitalize the McDowell Road corridor between 7th Street and State Route 51, Piestewa Parkway. The focus of this study is to identify and confirm community-supported safety and aesthetic improvements to achieve four main goals:
- Creating a safer and more inviting area for people walking or riding bicycles to locations along the corridor,
- Improving navigation in and around the retail areas,
- Enhancing access to transit, and
- Fostering a sense of place and identity.
This project is intended to promote pedestrian safety by working with the surrounding community to discuss and identify potential corridor improvements that emphasize safety, comfort, and connectivity for all users. This project aligns with the city's Road Safety Action Plan and overall vision to prioritize safety and transportation access.
The planning or study phase of this project is funded by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG).
Many of you have been vocal about wanting a safe place to bicycle along McDowell Road. Arterial roads like McDowell Road carry higher volumes of vehicles that move at higher speeds, so safety is a paramount concern. But we heard you! We are working with MAG and our consultants to obtain post-COVID traffic modeling data that will allow us to study traffic lane reduction options that could include bike lanes on a portion of McDowell Road. Traffic and design engineers will explore the addition of bicycle lanes.
The data gathering and additional study has affected our timeline to come back to you with design priorities. Please be patient while we explore options over the next few months. We will then plan another public engagement opportunity to review what we heard from you and share updated concepts based on your priorities for revitalizing the 7th Street to SR 51 McDowell Road corridor and safety of the public.
