Light rail in the Valley entered a new era over the weekend when the first train traversed the system’s south Phoenix expansion.
The big picture: A 5.5-mile extension that runs south along Central Avenue from downtown Phoenix opened Saturday.
- The extension has eight stations, with Central and Baseline Road marking the end of the line. The light rail system now has 35 miles of track.
- Federal funds covered about half the cost of the $1.3 billion project, with revenue from the Proposition 400 transportation tax and the city paying for much of the rest.
Why it matters: About 44% of area residents have limited or no access to cars, according to Valley Metro.
- Jessica Mefford-Miller, CEO of Valley Metro, which runs the light rail system, noted the new line is a bridge across the Salt River, making it “a literal” and “symbolic connection” between south Phoenix and the rest of the metro area.
- Valley Metro expects the extension to add more than 8,000 daily riders to the system, which averages about 32,000 boardings per day.
Driving the news: A large crowd gathered Saturday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I believe the expansion will do justice for the people out here. Providing opportunities to get downtown, and also for people downtown to come down here,” an attendee named Lindsay told ABC15…