Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law makes the largest federal investment in public transit in U.S. history
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema met with Valley Metro CEO Scott Smith and local stakeholders to hear firsthand about current public transit projects under construction, thanks to historic funding from Sinema’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law.
“Our meeting offered an exciting update as to how Valley Metro plans to use historic investments from our infrastructure law to enhance public transit options in our state. As always, I’ll keep working with community leaders to ensure funding from our law is implemented efficiently and effectively,” said Sinema, lead negotiator and co-author of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law.
Sinema’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law provides funding for Valley Metro and other regional transportation projects to enhance mobility and opportunity for Arizonans that use public transit. The Senator received updates on projects under construction, including the Tempe Streetcar, Northwest Extension Phase II, and South Central Extension/Downtown Hub.
In January 2022, Sinema toured Valley Metro’s Northwest Light Rail Extension Phase II Project at Phoenix Metrocenter. The project will expand access to major destinations, including educational institutions, employment centers, entertainment areas, and Phoenix Sky Harbor. The 1.6-mile extension will connect 19th Avenue and Dunlap, and includes three transit stations, a multi-modal transit center, a parking garage, and public art. In October 2021, Sinema applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s announcement of a $158 million Capital Investment Grant that would complete the funding for the project.
In June 2021, Sinema and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly announced that the Federal Transit Administration awarded $17.4 million to Valley Metro’s Tempe Streetcar Project. The Valley Metro Tempe Streetcar Project is a three-mile streetcar with 14 stations and six vehicles that will connect downtown Tempe, Arizona State University, and the emerging employment corridor of Rio Salado Parkway, which connects existing light rail serving Phoenix, Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.