On May 21, Phoenix City Council considered a citizen petition to do away with the reverse lanes on 7th Street and 7th Avenue — often known colloquially as the city’s “suicide lanes.” But instead of making a decision, the council voted to direct the city Streets Transportation Department to study the issue and report back by December 2026.
The issue, while not a politically partisan one, is intensely polarizing for Phoenix residents. On one side, residents are deeply concerned about the confusing signs and the constant accidents that result. Others seem to think everyone who doesn’t know how to understand the signs quickly is an idiot.
With the exception of some nuanced takes, these perspectives are what can be found in the comments section of the Phoenix New Times Instagram and Facebook pages, where our original story was posted, and in a Reddit post that referenced the article. Across the three sites, hundreds of people shared their thoughts on the suicide lanes…