Thank you.

Good morning.

And welcome to the December December 17th, 2025 Transportation Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee.

I'm calling the meeting to order, and we first turn to the city attorney to uh explain public comment.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Members of the public may speak for up to two minutes to comment on agenda items to be discussed.

Comments must be related to the agenda item and the action being considered by the subcommittee.

General comments that go beyond the scope of the agenda item must be made in the call of the public session at the end of the agenda.

The city council and staff cannot discuss or comment on matters related to pending investigations, claims, or litigation.

Additionally, any member of the public who appears before the subcommittee in their capacity as a lobbyist must have required by Phoenix City Code disclosed disclose this fact before addressing the subcommittee.

The City Code requires speakers to present their comments in a respectful and courteous manner, profane language threats or personal attacks on members of the public council members or staff are not allowed.

Speakers should not act in a disrespectful manner that is openly hostile to others.

A person who violates these rules may lose that opportunity to continue to speak.

Thank you.

Next we turn to our interpreter, Elsie Duarte.

Thank you, Councilwoman Stark.

Good morning, my name is El C Duarte.

I will be providing Spanish interpretation during today's Transportation Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee session.

I will now take a moment to address our Spanish speaking audience.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Just in case you're wondering where that voice is coming from, she's sitting downstairs.

So next in our uh agenda is approval of the minutes.

Can I have a motion?

So moved.

I got a mo uh motion and a second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

The ayes have it.

Unanimous.

Next, we have our consent agenda agenda, which is items two, three, four, and five.

Most of them deal with our aviation, and we have one uh with regards to our uh public transit.

Can I have a motion or are there any questions on any question so moved?

Okay, second second.

Second, okay, motion and a second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

The ayes have it unanimous.

We also have a consent uh uh or an information only item, which is the freeway program update.

Does anyone have questions?

All right, then we will move to item seven, which is the capital extension and I ten with light rail project update and talk about options.

Thank you, Councilwoman Stark and members of our subcommittee.

We are pleased to be here with you today to provide an update on the Capitol Light Rail Extension Project and 10 West Light Rail Extension Projects.

Here with me today, I have City of Phoenix Light Rail Administrator Marcus Coleman, Jessica Mefford Miller, Chief Executive Officer with Valley Metro, and Trevor Collin, Capital, our chief over capital development also from Valley Metro.

On our agenda today, we're going to be going over options for consideration as well as project significance and history.

We'll discuss the CapEx light rail route alternatives and analysis, as well as provide some information on financial considerations, discuss community engagement, and then finally arriving at a request from staff for action today on what is two options.

These two options have been shared with the city council through briefings and have been provided to our community members.

Option one is to adopt a new updated capital extension light rail route.

This would allow us to remain in the Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant Program project development process.

We are up against an April 2026 deadline for decision making or option two to reevaluate high capacity transit alternatives.

If option two were to be selected, staff would need direction on what to move forward and evaluate as part of a comprehensive work plan.

We would also need to notify the FTA of that decision to exit project development and to reevaluate alternatives for investments.

All of the options, both option one and option two, are with the goal to provide transit service to our West Phoenix residents.

We do have quite a bit of content to cover in the presentation, so I ask for your patience.

A lot of this information is very important to take into account for your decision making.

So without further ado, I will hand the presentation over to De Jessica to walk through the slides and discuss project significance and history.

Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the subcommittee.

I will walk through briefly some of the project benefits before Trevor reviews all of the project options that Amber laid out.

After we introduce the options, we will discuss project cost in detail.

Within the Phoenix region, we have had significant investment.

The region has invested together with the federal partners $4 billion in rail transit infrastructure.

We have seen tremendous benefits from that.

Our light rail ridership in our current fiscal year to date in our first five months is up about 16%.

That's a total of 810,000 boardings.

Most of that is actually due to the opening of the South Central Extension, which was on June 7th of this past year.

We are hitting or exceeding our ridership projections for each of the light rail projects that have been delivered to date.

And on South Central, we're carrying 9,000 passenger boardings a day, and it is already the central and baseline is the third busiest station in our system.

Our region has also seen tremendous investment in transit-oriented development in the creation of transit-oriented communities around light rail and streetcar.

In fact, we've seen over a 500% return on our rail investment so far, expecting that return to continue increasing.

Housing comprises the largest share of the 20 billion dollars in public and private investment along the alignment.

To date, 50,000 housing units have been added along light rail and streetcar.

27,000 of those new housing units are in the city of Phoenix.

We do expect to see continued new development in the coming years.

Examples include the Metropolitan, which is currently under construction at the B Lines Terminal Station at Metro Parkway and Thelda Williams Transit Central, and the Central Park and Project on B Lines Central and Indian School Station.

The project benefits weigh heavily into the federal funding outlook.

Our federal partners, like this local decision making body, must weigh the benefits of a project against the cost of designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining this project.

As Amber mentioned, Capital Extension is currently in the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant or SIG pipeline.

I'll provide a little bit of background about the status of this project and the federal funding potential.

To date, the Phoenix region has enjoyed tremendous success in attracting federal investment for rail construction project in this region.

We have delivered five federally funded rail projects, each one of them either ahead of or on schedule and budget.

With respect to the capital extension currently in project development, last month FTA actually released project ratings for all of those projects currently in the pipeline.

Capital extension or CAPEX received a medium high rating.

We need at least a medium for any project to successfully receive federal funding, by the way.

And FTA does use this ratings process to signal to our appropriators in Congress which projects are coming through the pipeline and would need to be funded.

The appropriations committee takes this annually report, annual report presented by FTA seriously and would see that CAPEX is coming to them in 2027 as a project to be funded.

Valley Metro and City of Phoenix have a very strong working relationship with our partners at FDA.

We've discussed this project with FTA leadership and have generally received favorable feedback.

FTA Region 9, that's the region we're in also has team embedded here in Phoenix, reflecting their support and really the heavy lift required for the Capitol programs acros across Region 9 and including here in Phoenix.

I'll now turn to my colleague Trevor Collin.

Trevor is going to present timeline and background and walk through the details of all of the alignments and options before you this morning.

Thank you, Jessica.

Madam Chair and members of the subcommittee.

The light rail projects that would serve the state capital and I 10 West Corridor have been around for quite some time, dating back to the year 2000 when it was included in City of Phoenix's Transit 2000 plan when voters approved that.

In 2012, the city council took action to adopt what's called a locally preferred alternative for the project or LPA.

And at that time it was a single project serving the Capitol Mall all the way out to 79th Avenue and I-10.

In 2016, the council took action to break that project into two distinct phases.

One phase one, capital extension serving the Capitol, and then phase two, the 10 West would continue from the Capitol area out to 79th Avenue.

In 2019, the City Council requested that Valley Metro and staff review or reevaluate the project from the perspective of the route, the mode.

And when I say mode, it means are we doing a streetcar, a light rail, a bus rapid transit, perhaps.

And Valley Metro and Phoenix staff went through and did that reevaluation.

And as a result of that, light rail was confirmed as the mode.

And the project was actually extended a mile from 79th Avenue and I-10 to 79th Avenue and Thomas to tie into the Desert Sky Transit Center.

And both of those updated locally preferred alternatives were adopted in 2021.

So from there, we continue to advance the design on the project.

In April of 2023, we entered the capital funding program with the FTA that Jessica mentioned.

That first steps called project development.

An important thing to note, and as you'll see here in the exhibits that I share, a few months later, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 1102, and that introduced a geographic restriction around the Capitol complex, which included the Capitol building, the House and Senate buildings right in that area.

This did have an effect on the assumed LPA, and since that time we have taken steps to re-evaluate routes through the Capitol Mall, and I'll be sharing some of those with you today.

So this is some exhibits that reference back to that timeline.

So in 2012, I mentioned that the city council took action to adopt a locally preferred alternative for one project.

And this was the one project that's shown here that connected in at the downtown area through the Capitol Mall and all the way out to 79th Avenue in I-10.

I also mentioned that in 2019, the council uh asked Valley Metro to re-evaluate the project from the stance of mode and potential routes.

Uh the results of that evaluation are shown here.

80% of the public supported extending transit service to Desert Sky Transit Center.

So that added about a mile uh north to reach Thomas and 79th Avenue.

In addition, 75% supported light rail as the preferred mode for the project.

As a follow-on of that study, the council took action to uh now adopt two locally preferred alternatives, one for capital extension and then one for 10 West.

This is the locally preferred alternative for capital extension, connects in to the downtown area, Third Avenue, goes along Washington out to 19th Avenue and back on Jefferson in a single track loop.

And then I-10 West, as I mentioned, they also adopted at that time the locally preferred alternative for I-10 West, which connected in at 19th Avenue, the end of that first phase capital extension into the I-10 corridor out to 79th Avenue, and then they did approve at that time the extension, the dash blue line, the one mile north to Desert Sky Transit Center.

As I mentioned as well, in July of 2023, a geographic restriction for light rail was introduced in state law, and that is represented there in those orange dashed lines around that core of the state capital complex.

This obviously had an effect on the previously approved and adopted LPA.

One of the initial steps that we took was to shorten the alignment to be respectful of those boundaries, initially turning around at 15th Avenue.

At the same time, we recognize the importance of determining the connection route to the I-10 West Corridor.

We couldn't just build a 15th Avenue loop without knowing the next step.

And so we did some work to develop three primary alternatives, what's shown here in the dash blue lines that again are respectful of that boundary.

One on 15th Avenue North to Van Buren out west, one 15th Avenue South to Madison to the west and up 19th Avenue, and then one slightly different that would take us down 16th Avenue South and then west on Madison up 19th Avenue.

In May of this year, we started a robust round of community engagement on these alternatives, and we received quite a bit of feedback.

In particular, the feedback centered around the woodland district's concerns about the need for homes with the 15th Avenue North, the need to acquire homes and remove homes from that neighborhood.

Also just the general concern that the light rail would separate or bifurcate their neighborhood.

Additionally, we see received a lot of feedback from stakeholders along 19th Avenue with concerns about existing traffic levels, their access to the state capital, their business operations, and then general disruption during construction.

In response to that, over the course of the summer and into the fall, we've taken steps to reevaluate and look at what and taking that feedback.

It's an iterative process, and we believe that we not only build these projects for but with the community.

And so we've developed these alternatives that we're going to present to you today.

And these alternatives I'll mention all fall in with the primary option one that Amber went over, and that would be to continue with a route within the Capitol Mall Corridor.

So the first thing I'll mention on, and this will apply to all three.

One of the big things that we did in addition to hearing the community feedback is we had a value engineering idea that was presented to us that instead of putting track on both Washington and Jefferson, that we would do a instead do a double track down Jefferson.

And when I say value engineering, we're trying to deliver the same utility but do it in a more efficient, cost efficient cost-effective way.

And so each of these three options, you're going to see that the major change from where we were looking at previously a single track loop, we're looking at a double track on Jefferson.

And so the 16th Avenue North alternative that we're presenting here would continue from Fourth Avenue with a double track west on Jefferson.

At 14th Avenue, it would head north.

The red dashed line that's shown is the presumed or assumed connection to I-10 West, but the Capital extension is shown in that green and dashed line.

The second alternative is 16th Avenue South.

Very similar on that east end where we're connecting in at Fourth Avenue, but we would continue west in this alternative to 16th Avenue where we would head south to Madison with an approximate end of line at 17th Avenue in Madison.

Again, the red dashed line would show that assumed connection to the I-10 West project, that next phase.

So same connection point on that east end, Fourth Avenue, double tracking over to 7th Avenue.

At 7th Avenue, we would head north to Van Buren, where we would continue west on Van Buren to approximately 16th Avenue and Van Buren with that end of line.

Again, the red dashed line would show the assumed or presumed connection for I-10 West.

One distinction with this one, and I'm going to talk about timeline here in a minute.

This one's a little bit different.

The first two alternatives I showed you are by and large within the footprint that we've already studied, the footprint that we've already done environmental work on.

This one is significant significantly different enough.

The majority of the route is on roads, 7th Avenue and Van Buren that we hadn't previously considered.

So when we look at the timeline, that that's why you're going to see a little bit of a different timeline for this 7th Avenue North.

The City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department performed analysis of each of these alignment alternatives from the viewpoint of economic development.

And I'm presenting these results here in the table.

As you can see, the miles and ridership for each of the routes are very similar.

Um with the routes, we're looking anywhere of an estimated economic impact of $3.2 billion up to $4.3 billion.

Permanent jobs anywhere from $10,800 to $14,700, and then tax generation, which is calculated over a 10-year interval, anywhere from $188 million to $253 million, with clearly all those indicators, 16th Avenue South having the highest numbers, and then the other two, the 16th Ave North and 7th Avenue North being very close.

So let's talk about next steps.

If option one were selected to move forward by the council, we would certainly have to do a NEPA re-evaluation.

So currently we've performed a NEPA evaluation or environmental evaluation for the 15th Avenue loop.

For 16th Avenue North or South, as I mentioned, we're very confident we've been in contact with FTA that we'd be able to achieve that update with what's called a re-evaluation.

Much more administrative process.

We have been engaged with ADOA, and we have been engaged with state elected officials who serve on the joint legislative budget committee as stakeholders on this project.

The Capitol Mall boundaries or governmental malls that's known in state law are shown before you generally on the west, it's 19th Avenue.

On the east, it's 7th Avenue.

On the north, it's Van Buren and all land parcels abutting Van Buren.

So that's kind of why you see that jagged line on the north.

And then on the south, it's the Harrison Street alignment.

So with as I mentioned earlier, the timelines with if we were to move forward with the 16th Ave North or South Alignment, we'd be looking at continuing the pre-grant work.

We would start early work construction with utilities underground in early 2027.

We'd anticipate a full funding grant agreement near the start of 2028, and then full construction to continue through the end of 2029.

7th Avenue North's a little bit different.

We'd be restarting that environmental process, and so those timelines would be pushed out a couple years is what we're anticipating to for opening that project in 2031.

And then finally, just to give you perspective, that second phase or that 10 west portion.

This is the current timeline that we're working with and programmed, and it anticipates opening that project in late in 2034.

With that, I'm going to hand it back to Jessica to talk about some of the financial considerations.

Thank you, Trevor.

So we talked a little bit about project benefits, mobility, economic development.

Trevor shared those economic development projections specific to each corridor.

As with any major infrastructure investment project, it's important that our policymakers fully consider the cost of building and operating the project plus the associated funding strategy.

For capital extension, I'm gonna note relative to prior rail projects delivered, we have seen an increase in cost per mile.

The cost per mile of the capital extension is about $498 million per mile.

That's about $624 million on average for the three options being presented to council today.

On average, those projects previously delivered are about $250 million per mile.

Now I'm gonna walk through some of these specific cost drivers, and I'll also talk about market factor drivers.

So project specific cost drivers, uh, number one is private utility relocation.

There really isn't anything else really special or unique about this corridor, other than it is a built-out urban corridor, and so with that, we've got a lot of site work and utility work to do.

Perhaps the biggest single driver of cost that's unique to this particular project is uh the scope of the project.

This is a 1.3 or a 1.4 mile project.

So we're not achieving the economies of scale that we would in a larger project, like the 5.5 mile South Central extension that just opened this year.

There are certain tasks that we have to accomplish, like design and planning that are specific to any project, regardless of length.

Now, if we take the combined capital extension and I 10 West corridor, that project in its entirety entirety is 11.4 miles.

So CapEx is just about 10% of that at $1.3 to $1.4 mile corridor, but bears a significant amount of the professional services costs associated with the project.

This is just the cost of dividing a larger project into smaller phases.

If we consider the cost of capital extension, that's that $624 million average, and the currently published RSTIP project cost of I-10 West, that's $2.7 billion.

Then the average cost of those two corridors is $292 million.

I want to note specific to capital extension.

As Trevor mentioned, we are aggressively pursuing value engineering strategies to try to drive that project cost down, shifting from double tracking on Washington and Jefferson or single tracking to double tracking on Jefferson, for example, drove that project cost estimate down by about $180 million.

So as with every project, we work diligently to try to deliver the project at the lowest cost to our taxpayers.

Now, our most recent project cost, including our projects including South Central and Northwest Extension, these were built with guaranteed maximum price contracts that were executed before the global pandemic and recent increases in construction costs across all types of projects.

So that we're talking about housing, streets, or transit infrastructure projects.

Let's take a moment to look at the market factors, and I want to share some data that our partners at MAG produced earlier this year that are specific to the Phoenix metropolitan region.

We have certainly experienced significant growth in construction costs, and it's been driven by a combination of global, national, and regional factors, and these factors have had a significant impact on construction across the valley.

We know that Phoenix has emerged as one of the fastest growing construction markets in the United States, which brings many benefits to the region, of course, but also some challenges with cost.

This is growth is fueled by rapid development in the home building and manufacturing sectors.

And in 2024, Phoenix ranked fourth nationally in new home construction.

In transit, I like to say we buy a lot of steel and rock products and labor.

This is the industry and the business we are in.

And Arizona has seen the eighth largest increase for aggregate prices across the country since 2019.

And it takes a lot of labor to deliver infrastructure projects.

The average wage in F right Y24 for skilled labor increased in the region by 35% relative to FY20.

Now let's take a look at the cost for each of the alignments.

Trevor presented to you today.

So the alignments vary between 1.3 and 1.2 miles.

The assumption here is conservative.

We are anticipating a 39% federal participation from the capital investment grant program.

Each of the budgets include an estimate of $3 million in federal congestion mitigation and air quality funding and $76 million from the regional Prop 400 sales tax.

The T2050 local transportation sales tax would make up the balance of those projects.

The total cost of the projects again on average is $624 million, $608 million for 16th Avenue North, $648 million for 16th Avenue South, and $618 million for 7th Avenue North.

The column on the far right, the offset to I-10 West.

Again, if we look at these projects in their totality, depending on the path of the corridor chosen, that would offset some of the costs for I-10 West.

And those numbers are shown.

So they would be a reduction from that overall I-10 West budget.

Now I want to hand it over to Marcus to talk about the financial strategy.

Thank you, Jessica.

As Jessica stated, the financial analysis is needed to make sure that all of these options that are being presented to this subcommittee today are viable options.

One of our largest funding partners or resources that we have for these projects as we go through the CIG program is the federal transit administration capital investment grant program.

As Jessica stated in the previous slide, we normally receive traditionally here in the Valley an approximately 30% 40 to 50% funding from that program.

It is also important to note that until a full funding grant agreement is executed, that funding is not obligated to the City of Phoenix or to any of these projects.

The other piece of the analysis is making sure that our local funding, which is made up mostly of our T2050 program, it has enough availability to actually make sure that these programs, these alignments that have been shown to the council today are viable.

Right now, currently with the assumptions that we've made for continued growth in sales tax over the years in course of the T2050 program, we do see that our local program is able to bring to fruition the local portion of what's needed for all of the alignment alternatives that have been shown to this subcommittee today.

However, if federal funding is not received, it will be very difficult for us not only to make sure that we can move forward with the capital extension in I-10 West, but we would not be in a position to where we have sufficient funding to make realization of other projects that are in our T-2050 program, even outside of our light rail program.

So we've talked a lot about option one.

Option two that's before this subcommittee that we're looking for a recommendation to go forward to our full council at policy is an option to reevaluate high capacity transit and how that high capacity transit reaches and serves West Phoenix.

This option would allow flexibility for our city council to look at different alternatives outside of the capital extension.

This reevaluation could or could not include the capital extension as it was laid out in front of you today.

And lastly, this would happen outside, as Amber mentioned, outside of the pending deadline of the project development phase of the capital investment grant period that we're currently in.

We are set for an April 2026 date that we must enter into the next step of that CIG process if we want to continue in that program, and this would allow council that opportunity to make decisions outside of that ensuing deadline.

So the next steps that would need to take place in order for option two to continue to move forward if this if the full council were to make that recommendation is first we would have to notify the FTA of our desire to reevaluate high capacity transit options into reaching West Phoenix.

It's important that we maintain the great working relationship that we've taken years to develop with FTA and also our region 9.

But also Valley Metro would need to contact their contractors that they currently have under contract for the design and the construction and also terminate those contracts as well.

Staff would be seeking to get direction from our city council specifically to what the parameters of this re-evaluation would be.

Once we receive that information, we'll be able to develop a strategic work plan.

So community engagement.

I know it's important that we represent and provide the representation of the community engagement, and we've done a great job of making sure that our community is being alert and aware of each step that we're taking as we go through this process.

Some of the tools that we've utilized for this community input and community engagement, of course, we have feedback forms that we have in person at meetings as well as electronically in their own websites, and we also have a QR code that we've been distributing throughout the region.

We have a project website that not only houses the project information and also the meeting materials, but it also has narrated versions of the meeting.

So if individuals are unable to attend in person or to come virtually to a meeting, they can go to the website and they can actually have that same feel of being narrated through a presentation as if they were there in person.

We have general flyers and certified mailers that we've sent out to stakeholders along those alignments, making sure that they're notified of what is taking place not only here with this meeting, but moving forward and the options that are taking place in front of council, and then reaching out to some of our media resources and social media.

We've seen great results from those, which I'll talk about in further slides.

Some of the activities that we've done to date is we've done several public meetings, and we continue to schedule public meetings until that January 27th date.

The purpose of this is to make sure that we're constantly collecting that community feedback as we go through this iterative process.

We've done pop-ups, really making sure that we're going to the people where they are.

Not only have we done pop-ups throughout the corridors at places of business helping to hope not only bring awareness but bring business to those individuals.

But also we've done schools and other places where we know that people congregate.

We've had meetings with significant key stakeholders.

As you know, we've went out previously with the 15th Avenue and 19th Avenue options, and we've gone back and followed up with those stakeholders and showed them the new designs that we have, as well as doing some canvassing.

And so some of the results of this work that we've done so far, I want to show that this is something that this portion of the outreach, this is an ongoing process, but this portion of the outreach with these new uh three alternative alignments and this new option of a re-evaluation started to really hit the pavement in November 10th.

And so from November 10th through December 8th, is what I'm going to be focusing on showing those results.

You'll continue to see as we move forward through this process and even going to policy that these numbers will be updated as we continue.

But we've had over 200 people that have attended either in-person or online.

Um 5,000 website views, which really shows that we are seeing heavy traffic across our website, um, 227,000 social media hits, really making sure that people are aware and they're being able to touch and be guided to places that they can provide this input.

One of the things at note that I would like for this subcommittee to know, on December 4th, this item was taken to our Citizens Transportation Commission.

Our Transport Citizens Transportation Commission was unable, was unable to come to a majority vote for option one nor option two.

Um so this item moved forward without a recommendation from the Citizens Transportation Commission.

So the results of the feedback that we receive from those forms.

We have approximately 1,600 feedback forms, and I know that number is increasing daily.

This is as of the December 8th date, as I mentioned.

And 62% of those feedback forms recommend that we continue to move forward with the CapEx project, picking a locally preferred alternative.

38% feel that now is a good time to take a reevaluation of how we invest in high capacity transit reaching West Phoenix.

Out of those who chose to move forward, you'll see that 16th Avenue North has the majority of support, followed closely by 16th Avenue South, and in the far distance is the 7th Avenue North.

So the action that we're requesting for action option one or option two, we're looking for this subcommittee to make a recommendation to full council.

We have several pros and cons that are associated with each of these options that I would like to go over.

So with option one, this is the option to pick a locally preferred alternative.

It maintains our progress that we already are currently in in the CIG process, which is scheduled for us to have a revenue service date for the CAPEX of 2029.

It also has the potential of creating an offset to the I-10 West corridor, as Jessica mentioned earlier.

Um, due to the length of this project, it reduces length from the I-10 West project, which could produce uh offset.

Um, and it also keeps us on track of utilizing the regional and local funding that has been designated for this project.

Some of the cons is that this will require our city council to make a determination on an alignment option, although there may be stakeholder uh stakeholder objection and also project concerns.

Um, the timeline for us to continue to get the application ready to move forward in this process from project development into entry into engineering for the capital investment grant period.

This is a small timeline that we're working within.

We are confident we've been in constant communication with our partners at FTA as well as MAG, but I want to list it as a con because this will take a significant effort.

We do know that we are able to do this, but I do not want this to go as um foreseen as this easy process.

This is something that will take an effort on behalf of City of Phoenix and our partners.

And then also it utilizes a majority, usualized a large share of our T-2050 funding that could possibly be used for other projects that are within that program.

So for option two, we have some of the same considerations.

This is for reevaluation of high capacity transit investment to serve West Phoenix.

Some of the pros is that this will allow flexibility and time outside of that deadline of that April 2026 time frame for council to look at different alternatives.

We'll be able to work with partners such as MAG, ADOT, and of course Valley Metro at the table with City of Phoenix to decide if there's other ways that we can effectively and efficiently utilize these resources to produce high capacity transit into West Phoenix.

However, it does come with its own sets of cons.

Some of those cons are we will forfeit our eligibility for federal funding under our current process that we are engaged in right now with the FTA.

Um it may also result in a delay of reaching West Phoenix with high capacity transit.

Right now, as Trevor showed in this previous slide, we have the CAPE that is scheduled for revenue service in 2029.

We have the 10 West that is scheduled for revenue service in 2034.

However, because we do not know the scope of the re-evaluation or what those outcomes of that re-evaluation would be, it is hard to say whether that will or will not have an effect or a delay on our ability to reach West Phoenix with high capacity transit.

And then lastly, it will require an update not only of our local T2050 program, but also working with MAG to do an update for our regional transit program as well.

And so with that, our city council on January 27th will be making a decision between one of two options, and those options are either to adopt a locally preferred alternative and continue to move forward in the capital investment grant program, or to take this opportunity to re-evaluate high capacity transit options to serve West Phoenix.

With that, we'll take any questions that this subcommittee may have.

I think before we take questions from the committee members, I would like to have District 7 please come up.

They wanted to make a statement.

Thank you, Councilwoman Stark.

Um, and yes, my name's Patti Serrano.

Good morning, everybody.

Um, again, my name is Patti Serrano, and I am a proud member of our district seven team here at the city.

Because of open meeting laws, councilwoman Hernandez cannot participate in today's subcommittee.

However, she did prepare a statement that I will now share.

Her statement reads.

Good morning, fellow council members.

I am here today asking you to support the capital and I-10 extensions by recommending that we move forward with project development through the Capitol Mall area by adopting option one.

As you know, my district includes all of the current and future neighborhoods along the proposed capital extension and majority of the neighborhoods along the I-10 extension.

For the past five months, I have sat with residents, businesses, homeowners, and students who are excited that light rail is coming to their neighborhoods.

I have talked with developers, home builders, construction companies, labor groups, and investors who are excited for the economic development and housing that will follow the light rail as it finally rolls into West Phoenix and Maryville.

The message has been clear.

Voters approved the Capitol and I-10 extensions.

Taxpayers have paid hundreds of millions of dollars that we heard about already.

The time is now for council to move these extensions forward.

It has been delayed deeply concerning this last month to hear new excuses and new obstacles from some of my fellow council members to light rail expansion through the capital area and along I-Town.

Data collected by our city staff and by Valley Metro clearly points to the massive return on investment for this project.

The ongoing tax revenue and development fees alone for the capital extension will easily cover the one-time investment required to make this line a reality.

And the public transit ridership numbers for West Phoenix and Maryvale are the highest across the city and clearly illustrate that multiple light rail lines into Maryvale are required to meet this demand.

The time is now for council to move these extensions forward.

Finally, as council members who must think critically about the impact of our decisions on the whole city, I strongly encourage you to support the Capital and I-10 extensions.

Robust public transportation is a hallmark of all great global cities.

And that is what Phoenix has become.

Let me be clear.

Exiting project development to reevaluate will not only kill these lines and kill all of the benefits they bring to our city, but it will effectively jeopardize all future light rail expansion across our city.

The longer we delay, the less likely it will be that we ever start light rail again.

Please join me today in supporting light rail in my district in Maryvale and in our great city.

Please recommend that Phoenix move forward with light rail development through the Capitol Mall area by adopting option one.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I I um know if the rest of the committee just received a copy of the letter from Representative Livingston and Senator Cavanaugh.

However, uh they mention that they do stand with the Senate President and the Speaker of the House and their opposition to light rail in the Capitol Mall area.

However, if we move forward, they would be a minimal to 16th and Madison if it turns at 15th Avenue rather than 16th Avenue.

So hopefully staff will get a copy of that letter.

Okay.

That's that's why I I wasn't sure if you received it, so I thought I'd put it on the record.

So why don't we start with uh the testimony then?

And first we'll start with uh phone and David.

I'm gonna look at you guys to see if they're on.

David Vickford.

Okay, David.

Good morning.

I'm marked as neutral because while I lean toward option one, neither option is ideal as presented.

Ideally I prefer what I call option 1.5.

Specifically, I urge the city of Phoenix and Valley Metro to extend light rail to the state capital as soon as possible, but to forgo the proposed second phase along I-10.

Let me briefly explain why I favor this approach.

The nation's most populous state capital city should absolutely have high capacity transit to its state capital building.

Such an extension would not only be valuable for state employees, but also help catalyze redevelopment in the area.

The people of Phoenix deserve rail transit access to their state capital so they can more easily meet with legislators, attend hearings, engage in peaceful protest, and community events at Leslie Boland Plaza.

Nevertheless, continuing farther west by a freeway alignment makes little sense due to insufficient destinations within walking distance and minimal potential for transit-oriented development.

Freeway carter may be an appropriate route for express buses or commuter trains, but not light rail, which is designed to make frequent stops and serve neighborhoods along its routes.

Instead, Maryvale should be served by high capacity transit operating on Thomas and or Indian school roads, which are home to numerous schools, shopping centers, residential neighborhoods, and community amenities.

Reaffirm the plan to extend bite rail to the capital and choose one of the 16th Avenue options as quickly as possible so as not to miss crucial deadlines for federal funding by simultaneously reevaluating the best possible route to Surf Maryville and the west side of Phoenix.

Thank you.

Thank you, next Harold Gonzalez.

I hope I'm pronouncing your name correctly.

Oh come on out.

Good morning, Council People.

My name is Jaira Gonzalez.

I am a former engineer and current chemistry professor at Paradise Valley Community College.

I am here because I believe that you must vote for option one to proceed with the light rail because voters have already approved it four times.

From this meeting, I got two things, which is one significant considerations have concluded on all three routes, and all of them are financially viable and will bring jobs to the community.

Number two, failing to vote for option one today would put the valley at the risk of losing 1.3 billion dollars for federal SIG funding.

To me, the dilemma is as follows.

We could choose to pick any of these options, all of which have positive outcomes, pay for it with federal funding and reap the economic benefits, or we could be indecisive on purpose and squander the opportunity to make positive change to our city.

Any potential benefits would also disappear.

There are many pros to rail transportation related to citizens' mental, physical, and financial health, but I won't get into that now.

The reason I am passionate about this project is because of where it ends on 87th and Thomas, because it reminds me of myself 15 years ago when I was a dumb teenager loitering at Desert Sky Mall.

Back then I was limited by not owning a car of my own in one of America's most car-dependent cities.

The 10 Western Rail Line would benefit many children and families who live like I once did, geographically stuck, and could potentially help them to get out of poverty by giving them an option where they don't have to spend several thousands on a vehicle.

Every year, cars get more expensive and they're not going to stop.

If we don't do anything now, by the time we can do something, we'll make people even poorer just for our sake of our inactions.

This is not an issue of not having enough solutions.

Three of them have been presented and they have all been analyzed.

This is an issue of not having enough courage.

We have three clear-cut solutions that would make the lives of Arizonians better.

We just need someone to be brave enough to pick any of them, and I believe it should be you.

Everyone benefits from having more trains, installing on a solution when three have already been presented is economically and politically short-sighted.

Thank you.

Next Gavin Dougle, Jugo.

And she'll be followed by Alan Resby.

I own Van Aiken Pet Clinic at 3869 West Indian School Road.

And I'm here to speak in opposition to the light rail going down Indian School Road in the area we're at.

It will be very detrimental to all the businesses.

And my personal business may be shut down because of it because they will have to widen the street and take away my parking lot that is in front of my building.

I will lose both of my all of my signage on my building.

And that will make it so that I I can't operate, so I will not have parking.

I do not believe it is going to be very economical to go down Indian school.

I see the buses go by that are empty.

So people are not using mass transit down there that's available at this point.

We as people on this side of the Indian school, we were never even told about this project until we found out about it last July.

On a one of my clients came in and talked to me about it.

That's the only reason I knew about this.

The people on our area of India School were not told about this.

We had no ability to put any input into this development situation through the city council or the first development phases of this.

We were never contacted by the by the um any of our city council.

We were not contacted by the developers of this project.

So that makes it very upsetting because we had no input, so we can lose our business without any input for it.

Thank you.

And if they do bring this light rail, which I'm more for a light rail, but it's it's not gonna work on Indian school, it's gonna affect a lot of businesses.

It will probably put us out too, because it's gonna take our parking lot, a lot of our parking lot.

We have a tire business that will have to go out of business because they do a lot of work in the area where they're gonna have to expand.

Um traffic is gonna be congested because uh they're gonna take away a lot of the space.

Um the emergency vehicles will take longer to get to us.

Um safety, the noise uh cost versus the benefits for our business.

Um, it's not gonna help us.

Um there has buses, you know, they're empty also.

Uh if they're concerned about the environment, get electric bus.

You know, we'll be for that.

Um we just don't see how this could possibly uh help our business.

Uh it's just gonna impact a lot of people that have been there a long time, especially us.

Um, people getting our car work on will have to find another place to go to because it's not gonna be easy to get in in and out.

You'll have to just come in, go in on the east and leave on the east.

So uh that's why we oppose it.

Thank you.

Um if we could please refrain from all the clapping so we can move this meeting along because we also have a council meeting today that's gonna be extremely long.

Uh next is Andy Carrion.

Am I saying that correctly?

Hi there, my name is Andy M.

Carrie, and I appreciate you uh getting us time to speak.

I'm calling on behalf of Downtown Voices Coalition.

You may know us as JDC.

We were established 20 years ago to advocate for making downtown phoenix sustainable for all residents.

And I'm uh speaking today to share our organization support for continuing light rail through the Capitol District to Desert Sky and requesting that the subcommittee recommend moving forward with the project development by recommending option one.

And we understand there's no perfect alignment and no clean fix for restrictions placed on the route by the state, but we can't let the perfect be the envy of the good.

As a previous caller mentioned, it takes real courage to move forward with these big projects.

Our organization supports any alignment that Valley Metro decides to move forward.

We feel like they are the experts on this matter.

They've done exhaustive community engagement up to this point, and by all signs are continuing to do that for the next month, and they really have the pulse on the community.

And they should be trusted to weigh all the constraints to provide the best system possible.

Finally, by delaying, we are putting at risk potential for federal funds.

We risk 20 million dollars already spent on the planning and hundreds of millions of dollars preparing the downtown core to receive the uh extension.

We're past the point of reflection and stopping now to reevaluate would do irreparable harm to the trust and reputation of the city and the trust that constituents have put in our council.

So this isn't the time to reevaluate.

We respectfully request that you make the recommendation to city council to move forward with option one.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Laura Wickham.

Laura, go ahead.

Thank you.

Good morning, members of the subcommittee.

My name is Laura Wickham, and I'm speaking on behalf of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project or SWEEP, a public interest organization working to advance energy efficiency, clean transportation, and expanded transit options across the Southwest.

We are speaking today to strongly urge you to move forward with completing the Capital Light Rail Extension and support option one before you today.

A decision to reevaluate or delay this project will stall meaningful progress on priorities the city has already committed to.

Reliable public transit is a foundation of affordability, safety, and sustainability in a growing city like Phoenix.

This extension was approved by voters and supported by city council, and delaying it now would undermine public trust and leave behind residents who don't have the option to drive, like students, seniors, families without cars, and people with disabilities.

West Phoenix has waited a long time for frequent dependable transit.

Further delay sends the wrong message to these communities.

The capital extension also represents a major opportunity for housing and economic development in an area with significant underutilized land.

This project supports less car dependency, lower transportation costs for residents, and long-term economic growth for the city.

For these reasons, SWEEP urges you not to advance option two, which would delay and likely end meaningful progress on this project.

Please support option one and keep the Capital Light Rail Extension on track.

Thank you for your time and for your continued work to build a more connected, affordable, and livable Phoenix.

Thank you.

Next is Germany.

Sterling, go ahead.

Oh, really?

Okay.

Okay.

You're on.

Sterling, you're on.

Hi there.

Hi.

This is Hello.

This is Sterling.

I'm a working professional in the Phoenix area.

This light rail is so important.

I want Phoenix to be a world-class city, and part of that is having reliable transportation that goes everywhere.

So I'm in support of option one.

I'm in support of the capital light rail extension.

Our economy needs it.

Our people need it, especially our people in the West Valley.

So let's move forward with option one, capital extension.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Nick is Vanessa Wai.

Vanessa.

Yes, sorry.

Hi, my name is Vanessa, and my family have owned businesses and property in West Phoenix and Maryville for over 20 years.

As Capac's decisions will affect other routes, I am here to oppose the light rail on Indian School Road, given how little communication there has been with the people most affected.

I'm speaking alongside community leaders, residents, business owners, property owners, and employees who all share the same concern.

In just a few days, more than 270 of us signed petitions opposing the light rail.

I'll be emailing those to the city clerk for public record.

The most common comment was that they had no idea the project was being planned.

That alone shows the outreach was not effective.

And it's disappointing that there hasn't been opportunity for community input.

Many of us just recently learned about this project, which has created real stress and fear for families, employees, business owners, especially after seeing ongoing issues along the other light rail areas like South Phoenix.

Construction will last for years, causing loss of businesses, customers, access, delayed deliveries, job losses, worse traffic, and long-term vacancies and safety concerns.

This is not about being against public transit.

It's about how this project will affect the people who are here.

Indian School Road is a vital commercial quarter that serves local residents, over 800 small businesses, which many are family-owned.

And infrastructure investment should not come at the cost of displacing this very community it's meant to serve.

Transit needs are changing, and there are alternatives that can improve mobility without closing businesses, disrupting residents, or creating years of construction and traffic problems.

I asked the committee to reevaluate West Phoenix expansion and commit to proper outreach and real community input before moving forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus Andrew Parker.

And you Zen, Andrew.

Yes.

Hello.

My name is Andrew, and I live in District 4.

And I certainly support Light Rail and would urge you to adopt option one.

But it doesn't really matter what I support because voters of the city have supported light rail for years.

And it really shouldn't be a question of if we should, but how we move forward carrying out what the voters voted for in a way that takes the concerns of those opposed into account to really minimize what they claim to be the risks.

And I think what all this delay does is to represent public transit as this zero sum game on the basis of some really bogus anecdotal evidence.

Uh, despite having a lot of the data to support.

We don't really seem to reevaluate paving new lanes with such rigor and concern as we do public transit.

When really what experts know is that improvements to light rail benefit all people who travel in the city, um, including motorists, including those who will never use bus or rail.

And I don't know about you, but if my boss asked me to do something 10 years ago and I spent millions just to suggest not doing it, I would have been fired a long time ago because it's really unacceptable.

Um, as you've heard, multiple teams of people at the city have been rolling with the punches and finding ways to make this work despite these setbacks.

And I really urge you not to be the reason that all of their valuable work in the city's financial investment is wasted.

This really isn't anyone asking for something.

It's truly the majority of voters urging you to do what we had been promised.

So I really thank you for the time and hope you can understand the potential danger to the future growth of this city that would result from choosing to reevaluate instead of actually making meaningful progress.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Aaron.

Aaron, you're at the hello.

So my name is Aaron.

Um, I don't know why people are saying Indian school, this project has nothing to do with that road.

But anyways, I'm speaking today in support of option one.

A vote for option two to reevaluate is dangerous.

And they vote against the voters.

A vote for option two is a vote to delay, or worse, kill all progress we have made on public transportation in Phoenix.

Many people, including myself call the Phoenix area home because of light rail.

We have voted more times than I can count in support of rail.

I have a car, but I still choose to take the light rail and the bus every day.

I feel the day that we got light rail was literally the day we've grown up as a city.

The voters have spoken more times than I can count in support of rail.

Are we gonna throw all of that away?

To exit the FTA process after getting this far.

That's just irresponsible.

Irresponsible to me, irresponsible to your constituents, irresponsible to the progress we have made in Phoenix.

Let's be real here.

Everyone knows that a vote for option two is a vote to kill the project.

There's no beating around the bush here.

It'll end up just like the I-10 bus tunnel.

Oh, it'll be considered in the future, also known as never.

Fast forward to 2025, that bus tunnel is still sitting empty and unused.

Many days I still see and think about that on used bus tunnel, and it fills me with anger.

It makes me angry that we just decided to abandon a project that would have tremendously boosted public transportation in Phoenix.

It's like we built the entire project, and then all of a sudden couldn't find the money to build the bus tunnel in the 90s.

It's a broken promise, and I do not want to see that mistake happen again.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next is Jonathan.

Jonathan, you're on.

Hi.

Um Thank you.

Um I am speaking as a constituent who currently doesn't use our light rail system, but I spent the beginning of my early adult life living in Portland, which has a phenomenal light rail system, and I'm here in uh support of option one, specifically because I I have a personal testament to how much uh useful and robust public transportation system can actually benefit uh and be an economic leg up for someone who might otherwise not be able to afford a vehicle or more costly uh forms of transportation to get around.

Um first of all, the cost concerns are not going to go away.

Uh, I'm against option two because uh to drag our heels is to watch the price of steel get higher, to watch the labor cost go higher, to watch the FTA funding disappear.

Um, and candidly, we do not have a particularly uh uh spending friendly administration that is going to make that any easier for us if we put it off by another two years.

Also, ridership uh can only grow uh if it is accessible and a desirable service is offered.

Uh, I think that public transportation is often treated as the bottom of the barrel option for what we uh sometimes are outcast and marginalized people in society.

But in reality, if you go to any other first world nation with a robust uh light rail or similar system, you will find systems that are used by all classes of society because they are treated with dignity and respect, and they are a system that is desirable to use alongside vehicular options.

Um I also strongly believe in the concept of leaving something better than you found it, and I would implore uh this committee as well as the council to do that.

Uh take the time that you have in a position of power in the city of Phoenix to uh help the city grow into something more than it was when you arrived at your chair.

Um, and don't let something as silly as bickering.

Our next speaker and last virtual speaker is Kyle.

Kyle Zion.

Go ahead, Kyle.

Are you able to hear me?

Yes.

Sorry about that.

Um my name is Kyle Foxcroft, and back in 2018, my partner and I purchased a home in the Oakland neighborhood.

Um, part of that decision was explicitly because light rail was planned to go through that corridor.

Um, I found myself since that time getting very involved in fighting against proposition 105, and found myself in the room with Scott Smith and um the late Felda Williams discussing these very same topics, and so I'm incredibly frustrated that after six years we're having a very similar conversation.

Option one is something that I have planned my life around, and I do not believe I'm alone in that.

And topics like this and revisiting this after years of public engagement really ends up disenfranchising those of us who care enough about this city to be involved and to spend our free time advocating for those things.

And so I asked that we continue with option one.

Um there are many of us who have been waiting years for this project and are frustrated that we are again having similar conversations.

Um, and we deserve this in our neighborhood.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Now we go in person, Jared.

Welcome, dear.

Okay.

Good morning, members.

My name is Jared.

I'm 27, and I'm speaking on behalf of myself and disabled citizens.

I grew up here in the valley.

My father Vincent, a jet pilot and Navy veteran who was a nuclear engineer at Paula Verdi for 20 years before retiring due to breathing issues and complications, rendering in the mobile for the most of my life before passing in 2015.

Uh, and to those concerned about the Indian school stuff, I'm aware that this meeting is about the capital loop and the I-10, not the Indian school.

Hence, there's no much engagement.

I am very excited and full in full support of more light rail.

I uh struggled to care for my disabled parents when I was growing up on a bicycle.

My disabled father relied on his electric scooter.

We lived in the most dangerous streets and vehicular violence around the West Valley by Westgate Maryvale.

There was no sidewalks, no buses along the routes and strodes.

In 2020 and 2021, I voted in favor for more light rolling transit.

I urge and support for option one.

Option two, in my view, serves as only to delay moving forward with very real, desperately needed city approved transit expansion and an egregious waste of money and time.

Highways are often a restrictive urban barriers and hostile to pedestrians and disabled persons like myself who would prefer not driving and using dignified public spaces and transit lines.

I'm also want more trees, thank you.

According to Navy Federal Credit Union, a cost of car ownership have increased by 40% since January 2020.

I strongly oppose in particular the ex uh using the I 10 median, but instead suggest McClintock.

There's a lot more ripe development that could possibly happen there, as well as just more accessibility because the highway will deliberately cut off foot traffic to stations, which is going to be very detrimental to local uh development post construction.

Thank you.

Next person, Patricia Jimenez.

Good morning.

I know um the INAM is talking about comics.

My name is Patricia Jimenez.

I'm a longtime West Phoenix community member, and I'm also a candidate for Phoenix City Council District 4.

I'm here because Indian School Road is not just a street.

It's one of the primary commercial employment corridors in West Phoenix.

I support hundreds of small locally owned businesses, and many residents both live and working along this corridor.

I want to be clear.

Indian School Row already experienced heavy traffic, public safety challenges, a limited parking access, small business along this corridor, relying visibility, driveway access, short customer visits, multi-year construction and lane reduction, directly threatened their ability to survive.

Recent medium coverage, including Fox 10, has documented prolonged light rail construction and other corridors, led to business disruption and closures.

Often tied to loss and access, extended construction, timeless.

Those impact matter deeply here because when businesses close, jobs, jobs are lost, and families lose income.

What concerns me the most, the lack of clear quarter-specific data provided to the public.

We have not seen uh project businesses closures or job loss estimated Indian school road.

We have not seen crime prevention funding plans type two station areas.

We have not seen traffic impact modeling that reflects current congestion.

We have not seen meaningful in-person engagement with business owners who will be most affected.

According to City presentation, public outreach produced hundreds of comments, but this corridor serves tons of thousands of resident workers and customers.

The gap matters.

Um, just like I said, uh, we need better fixing already.

We need to fix our roads, sidewalks, lighting, uh 16 bus routes, and public safety.

Thank you.

Next speaker is ventura.

However, Madam Chair and members of the uh subcommittee, thank you for allowing us to speak today.

Uh, first of all, I want to address uh to the uh people of uh Indian School.

Um to be clear, Indian School is currently not on the agenda today.

I understand all of your concerns and do feel that your concerns should be heard and are important.

But again, that is not what's on today's agenda, it should be for a future meeting.

With that said, um, again, my name is Ventura Herrera, Felix to my friends and neighbors.

I'm the president of the newly reinvigorated Woodland Historic Neighborhood, one of Phoenix is one of Phoenix's oldest surviving downtown neighborhoods.

Woodland has been here for more than a century.

Our streets and homes, including the IRIC house, built in 1885, were standing long before Phoenix became the city it is today.

These homes have witnessed generations of growth and resilience.

Our neighborhood has survived not by resisting progress, but by planning carefully for the future.

That is why we are here today.

For more than 20 years, West Phoenix and the Capitol Mall area have been promised light rail.

We voted multiple times.

We paid into T2 2050.

We watched other extensions move forward, and we waited.

Now with the Capital Extension, 60% designed, millions already invested, federal funding at stake.

We're being asked to reconsider the very idea of high capacity transit.

For a historic neighborhood that understands what long-term stewardship means, that is deeply concerning.

We are not here asking for something new.

Our community believes in well thought and meaningful planning, but delay at this moment risks becoming denial.

And West Phoenix, in particular, Maryville cannot afford to be left behind again.

Our turn is long overdue, and the time is now to move forward.

We ask you to please support option number one.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I appreciate your comments.

You are correct.

Indian school is not on the agenda.

However, there have been some public meetings where there have been discussions about looking at Indian school as an alternative to option one.

And that's why I think we're allowing them to speak.

But thank you for your testimony.

Next, am I saying that correctly?

Looks like I'm close.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Ziyad, and I have a store, Mars Market.

Uh, just wanted to let you know that I got the problem with the light rail before twice.

So uh when they run the light rail at 90th, and Bethany I was running the store uh at this location.

After the project is done, I've seen uh less revenue, more problems, uh less access to the business.

Then in 2019, I said, let me start doing my own business, and I started doing business on Central and Buckeye, and the light trail hit me again.

So I got uh kicked out from my store because of the I'm in a domain, and I have to evacuate the building.

And I moved again to 19 and Indian school.

And I heard last week that there is a possibility to have the light rail again.

So uh just wanted to let you know that's uh really harmful for businesses, and it's not easy to deal with for small businesses, and that's all I wanted to say.

Thank you.

Thank you, next, Michelle McCormick.

Madam Chair and members of the subcommittee, my name is Michelle.

The Woodland neighborhood understands stewardship.

We came, we care for homes that are more than 100 years old, not because it's easy, but because it's our responsibility to be both part of the past and future generations.

That same mindset shapes our strong support for light rail in general and the 16th Avenue South Alignment specifically.

This alignment protects historic resources like woodland from unnecessary disruption.

It follows a corridor with fewer homes and businesses, it creates space for investment where it can do the most good, and it preserves the ability to extend light rail along key areas, finally bringing services into West Phoenix and Maryvale.

Valley Metro's own analysis shows that this option delivers the greatest economic impact, more jobs, and stronger long term long-term returns for Phoenix.

This is not a choice between history and progress.

This is a chance to honor both.

A hundred years from now, we hope someone will stand in Woodland and say that the city council chose wisely, that you plan not just for today, but for generations to come.

Please move forward with this project.

Please choose option one and recommend a capital extension route.

Protect voter intent and deliver the light rail.

The Capitol Mall and West Phoenix have wanted have waited decades to receive.

Our turn is long overdue.

The time to move forward is now.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nixis.

Ishmael.

Excuse me, speaker.

But uh, my friend Nicole over here registered at the door right after me.

Sorry.

I touched us on you.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Good morning, everybody.

I'm born and raised in Maryville.

My name is Ishmael Abushinab.

I'm not a developer or a corporation.

I'm a local property owner trying to hold on.

I own a property in South Phoenix at 5255 South Central Avenue where the light rail was built.

That building has been vacant for years.

We've tried everything we can to rent it.

Even we gave it at 50% below market rent and still no progress in renting.

Every month it sits empty, and another month it's more stress, another bill payment, and another reminder that some areas and some owners are already struggling just to survive.

I walked down last Saturday and talked with multiple business owners, and they are all feeling the same hardship that we felt.

I also own a property on 75th Avenue Indian School.

That property is occupied today by a tire shop.

And that tenant is a small business that depends on the neighborhood and the community of people that live in the area.

I'm genuinely afraid that if the light rail construction comes through Indian school, I can lose that tenant.

If that happens, I don't know how long it would take to recover if they even will recover.

These properties are not just addresses on a map.

They represent years of work, family savings, and livelihoods.

Mine and my tenants.

When construction drags on, when streets are torn up for years, small businesses don't have the luxury to wait it out.

They close, they leave, and most of the time they never come back.

I'm not against public transportation.

I'm asking the city to slow down and truly listen to the people who are already feeling the pressure.

Please don't let progress come at the cost of pushing out.

Thank you very much.

I'm and I see you at the end of the list as well, so go ahead and speak now.

I apologize.

Thank you, Speaker.

You're on this list about three different times.

Yeah, that's true.

Thanks.

Good morning, everyone.

Uh Phoenix has a chronic shortage of efficient transportation options, especially West Phoenix.

This hearing demonstrates one of the reasons why that is.

When there are too many opportunities to block production of a good, the result is a chronic shortage.

This is called the tragedy of the anti-commons and economics, and this appears to be what's going on.

Four elections have demonstrated public support for the capital extension and other light rail projects.

The ballot for T2050 Prop 104 has a map with the projects that are being proposed and promised.

Phoenicians spend over 14 billion dollars per year on cars, most of which leaves the Phoenix economy immediately.

Mass transit and other cost efficient transportation investments are one of the only things that can shift a chunk of that 14 billion annual spending to stay in the Phoenix economy.

Two years ago while moving to Phoenix, the future approved light rail projects were part of my calculations.

A light rail system that could help me save around $10,000 per year on car expenses so that I could put it into other things like housing, housing upgrades, and local spending.

Future development is inevitable.

The more of it can that can orient around these future light rail projects, the better off everyone in Phoenix will be in terms of traffic, street safety, and the ever increasing road maintenance expenses.

Federal grants are not guaranteed to reappear.

Invest what we have in the future in the economic future of Phoenix, whether or not you council members personally have property that's close enough to take advantage of the mass transit systems.

Thank you.

And then after her is Simon.

Pero sí podemos ver nosotros el gran um daño que se nos van a hacer atlas que tenemos negocios in la Indian School.

Yo soy proprietaria de una um de un tienda de tapiceria y también de una iglesia.

Yo soy pastor.

Yo pienso que el tren ligero is algo que se puede esperar un poquito de tiempo más.

Y no es que yo tenga una mentalidad archai arcaica y que yo esté diciendo que no estoy apoyando el progreso de la ciudad de Finis, pero yo pienso que hay necesidad que se necesitan más inizac.

Muchísimas gracias y les doy las gracias por todo.

Thank you, Elsie.

Thank you.

My name is Rosalba Alcaraz.

And I think you for giving me the opportunity to speak for my community.

We had lived at Indian School on 43rd Avenue for the amount of 40 years, and we have seen we have um had many meets there, and we also have seen that we haven't been considered that many people you know use the public transportation, but we can see the great damage that the that it will cause to all of us who have businesses.

I own an upholstery shop, and I also have a church.

But I think there needs that there's some things that are needed to be done, or more needs to be done for the community first.

Thank you so much.

Um thank you for everything, and may God bless you all.

Thank you.

And he'll be followed by Luis.

Good afternoon.

Which is a business that is located on a possible route of the future light rail in Maryville.

I have owned this business for over 20 years and have raised my family on the backbone of this business.

I also employ 15 employees.

So for the last four weeks, I have been going around and informing other businesses along Indian School Road, and have gathered a group of over 200 business owners that can testify they had no knowledge about any light rail coming to Maryville.

We would like this to commit this committee to meet with our group and pledge that no action on food on further west valley expansion along Indian School Road will occur before increased outreach.

Thank you for hearing our voices today, and we really hope that the city council takes the livelihood of all these businesses that are here today and hear their voices seriously.

Thank you.

A lot of ways to get to our business.

People will be like, all right, then let's go, we know how to get there, but throughout time they're gonna be like, you know what, let's go somewhere else, and that causes a lot of a lot of business loss.

I'm responsible for 20 employees, and what am I gonna tell them?

This brings a lot of stress and a lot of how do I say a lot of um thinking of what we're gonna do.

Twenty million dollars are gonna go down the drain.

Why don't do it in Bokeh?

That's the city that's growing.

You know, not Phoenix, not Indian school.

It causes a lot a lot.

Another thing too is none of us that are here were informed how there's a paper that's saying that they were out and reached the they were gonna build the railroad.

So please take this consideration for us, and we're opposed to that.

Thank you.

Uh, the Comedori Panarella Tapatia, queest in la central y la Zunlan.

Y hasta ahorita la fecha también nosotros estamos batallando porque tenemos ya que está descansando gente porque el negocio no se puede recuperar or los assets para entrar innegocio.

Uh muchas familias se tuvieron que mover de ahí for in busca de trabajo in busca de algo pues que los poeda mantener.

Los companheiros, gente que tiene negocios que están esperando a ver si algo se puede componer, ando pues lo mismo dicen que van a tener que serrar porque no se puede mantener los villes, la gente, los companheros, personas que vienen de otra lugar dicen que una sola via para entrar in negocio, no pueden pusar isalvo impossible.

Thank you.

Um, and that's on Central, and I apologize for this.

Give me just a moment for the recording.

I'm just readjusting here.

Thank you for your patience.

I am Faustino Bustamante, and I am manager of uh Comedor Guadalajara.

And we have one of the things that we have noticed since everything started is that we have lost a lot of um clientele now that the construction started.

And a lot of people that used to live in that area had to move out because they lost their work.

A lot of the uh businesses ended up closing out, and up to this point, we're also struggling because we have to let some personnel go and we haven't.

And this is something that honestly maybe um all of these um modern uh things that are taking place um are not um helping the business.

Um this doesn't help the business's progress because they end up losing a lot of fem families had to move out, they had to look for other jobs, something that would be sustainable that help would help them um provide and right now we're we've been struggling for the last six months and we're still in the same situation.

Um a lot of the people like myself uh that are business owners are waiting for things to change, but if things don't change, they're gonna have to close up because they can't pay for the bills, um, they're pay their people, um, people that are coming from other places.

It's really hard to come in uh to the drive into the business because it's only one lady, there's only one way to get in, and it makes it more difficult for them to access.

And recently when we had the the storms, um there were a lot of problems with that too because the the streets were get flooded and because of the construction um going on, and so that contributed even more um to us not having uh or losing out on business.

So it's really hard to maintain almost impossible, even though we've been at it for six months and we're in reds right now.

Uh we're still we're still trying to keep uh some of our people um by we give them maybe 20 hours so that we don't let them go.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I I might just uh interject here.

I know there's a lot of people here in opposition to the Indian school route.

There really there has been talk at some of the public meetings about that, but it's not actually happening at this point.

It would have to be studied.

So really we today are talking more about the CapEx connection, the Capital Mall area, and I understand that there is some concern, especially with a lot of the businesses along India's school, but I want to assure you that we will if in fact that becomes an item, you will be involved.

Um, but I I I feel like um we need to maybe concentrate more on the actual CapEx today.

I I don't know if that helps.

You're still more than willing to speak, but I think really we want to focus on the uh route as it goes through the Capitol Mall area.

But with that, our next speaker is Yavet Savilla and Shunid interpretation.

Yvette.

Okay, the next then is Omar.

These most of these are marked opposed.

I'm assuming that's because of Indian school.

Hi, uh my name is Omar Severe.

Um, my name is Omar Severe.

Um I'm the manager at the one of the tire shop on a new school roar.

Um same thing.

Um I I don't support the light reel is gonna probably kill our business.

Uh we have that family owned business for almost almost about 19 years.

Yeah, it's gonna bring more crime.

Um the homeless people and you know um stuff like that.

Um that's it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Tony Sido.

Okay.

Next speaker, Vanya Guevara.

We're a program of the League of Conservation Voters focused on increasing the Phoenix voices and political power.

South of West Phoenix, we're also on Newman and then Tucson.

We're here to in hopes that the subcommittee will support option one, given that those funds are already promised.

There has been over 20 years of taxpayer money investment for other reasons you've heard already previously.

We um want to elevate councilwoman Hernandez's comments as well as the other gentleman who spoke earlier.

Um I had the honor and privilege of serving alongside two of you in March of 2019 when we talked about the camelback extension that was unfortunately gutted uh due to whatever interest at the time.

Um so any talk of it going to Maryville, I want that to be taken into account.

Also, when we were uh the council ultimately decided to move forward to do away with the camelback extension, then I was opposed to that.

We were told that um the focus needed to have been in the capital, Cap 10.

So just something for you to consider when making a decision.

We urge you to please consider option one, and again, for all the reasons we've mentioned, a lot of our members rely on light rail or public transportation, given the um increasing costs, annual costs upwards 12,000 a year.

That people unfortunately don't have the means.

And we have members who are legally blind who rely on light rail, and the thought of an option two just leaving it up in the air is extremely detrimental to the future of light rail, and being the fifth largest city in the nation, not having a strong transit system is actually something that I think could cost us in the long run.

So I invite you to think, move forward.

Thank you for all the leadership um that has been done with District 8 and District 7 Councilman Keys Hodge Washington.

We love the highlighting of the extension in South Phoenix and promoting it and all of your personal investments into light rail.

So just want to lift that up and thank you all for your time.

Thank you.

And I do remember serving with you, Vanya, and you did really fight for uh light rail to come to Maryvale.

We appreciate that, and especially along uh Camelback.

Thank you.

Uh next is William Isaac.

All right.

Next is Curtis Cheers.

Great last name.

Okay.

Next is Estella Lopez.

Oh is this Curtis?

No.

Okay, next is Jorge Quintero.

And they're all marked opposed, and I'm assuming it's with regards to the Indian school.

Next is Jessica.

Jessica Bueno.

Not here anymore.

Okay.

She marked in support.

Next is Rosa Garcia.

And she marked opposed again.

I'm assuming it's the Indian school.

I mean, next is Abusada.

Am I saying that correctly?

I can say you're shaking your head.

No.

I apologize.

Good morning.

Uh my name is Saliba Busada.

Uh I own a business on 6702 West Indian School for 19 years.

I invest all my livelihood on that business.

And I oppose the light rail on um on the most busiest corridors in the state of Arizona is Indian School.

And we just learned about it a month ago, you know, and since we learned about it, we've been gathering all the businesses going door to door.

Just tell them about the project.

And suppliedly, nobody knows about it.

I got it from the Valley Metro website that they reach out to 53 businesses from 863 businesses on Indian school.

And two of those businesses, some of those businesses are Quick Trip, Mickey Donald, Fast and Salad and Go.

Where employee over there, they're not gonna care about this type of project, you know.

And two of those businesses are Take Five Old Change.

They were here, they just left because they they were opposing, but it's two of them, they didn't know.

They didn't get any flyers, they didn't receive anything.

And in the meantime, you know, our governor just launched the introducing the electric bus for Phoenix Metro in 2026.

Why this is not considered as an option?

Why we have to disturb 900 businesses with maybe 20,000 people working in there.

And why we not take it in consideration how much sales tax we pay for the state and the city along this corridor when they do study like that.

I hope they take these things in consideration.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Arnia.

I'm sorry, but I just have the printed petition 270.

Um you can hand it to staff.

Yes, any thank you.

There you go.

Thank you.

And I hope I'm saying name RJ Raw.

I just oh, okay.

Um then next is Caitlin, followed by Jose.

Good morning.

My name is Caitlin, and I represent the future of woodland residents.

Light rail is often framed as a transportation project.

For us and for me, it is about opportunity.

Light rail means access to jobs, education, health care, and services, not to mention a safe way to get to and from a concert or a game.

It means fewer cars on the road, cleaner air, safer streets, and investment that strengthens our local businesses.

Even residents who may never ride the train benefit from the stability and growth that high capacity transit provides.

Our amazing Phoenix mayor, Kate Gallego, who I personally voted for, put it best when she said in Phoenix connectivity is everything from investments in our light rail system to expanding bus routes.

We know that transit unleashes opportunities that help families and businesses prosper.

That is exactly what our community is asking for.

Opportunity.

Rather than focusing on how this can best serve the communities who continue to ask for it, puts everything at risk.

Delay threatens federal funding, delay threatens the I-10 West extension.

Delay risks pushing light rail for our community, Maryvale and beyond.

Based on the clear opposition by the businesses on Indian school in attendance, the best choice is to choose option one, and one of the viable options Valley Metro has presented today.

Our parents waited, our grandparents waited.

We should not ask our children to wait again.

Light rail is not just about moving people, it is about moving Phoenix as a city forward.

Our turn is long overdue, and the time to move forward is now.

Please choose option one.

Thank you.

Next Jose.

And followed by Pablo.

Hi, good morning.

My name's Jose Hernandez.

I'm a resident of District 8.

Having grown up here in Phoenix, I just I think I'm in support of uh option one uh to get light rail to our underserved residents in Maryville in the West Valley.

Having grown up in an underserved community, um when my parents bought their first home, it actually took me out of the school bus route.

Uh fortunately, I had public transit that was able to allow me to stay in the same elementary school, and it even opened the door for me to go to high school uh taking the bus to and from it allowed me to play sports after school, it allowed me to have a part-time job that I kept after uh I was done playing sports, so I would I I wouldn't have to rely on my parents coming from a working class family.

Um later on in my career, it took me out of Arizona when I moved back.

I actually chose to live on the light rail route and rent while I waited a purchase.

One of the reasons I did that because I wanted to see where I want to live, and it opened doors for me growing up.

It opened doors for me later in life.

I became a seasoned ticket holder for the Sons, the D Backs, and it allowed me to spend my discretionary income at local businesses.

I became a regular, and it really created a sense of community that I didn't have before in Phoenix.

So I encourage you guys to adopt option one.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next Pablo.

Okay.

Thank you.

He'll be followed by Andres Montes.

Good morning, Helsinki.

My name is Isaiah Lopez.

I present Mapasadita Hot Dogs.

We have been 20 years in business with two locations here in the valley, which will be impacted.

I understand there are phases in which the light rail is being constructed, and we as a businesses and a community are being proactive by being here.

This would be detrimental to our business because it will cause loss of customer access, loss of business revenue, create parking issues, and affect both businesses and employees.

This project has not been transparent, and there's a huge lack of communication.

As a business, we only heard about the project from other members of the community and not from the people who profit from a project we have which has large projections of riders when these riders do not even use the current modes of transportation.

We've heard a lot of comments and support, however, the majority of these supporters have not been and will not be directly affected by construction delays and loss in business revenue or loss in employees' loss in paychecks.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Andres.

So I say that.

Right.

Also in opposition, uh Andrea.

Brito.

Maybe Andriana.

And she will be followed by David Schwartz.

Good morning, everybody.

My name is Adriana Vito.

My business is Bus Mobile by DL Wireless.

I have owned and operated business on Indian School Road for more than 20 years.

And today I have four locations in the same corridor.

This road supports small business, employees, and families who depend on daily access.

That alone shows how disconnected this process has been from the people who will be most affected.

But to be clear, the issue is not only communication.

We do not want the light rail on Indian School Road.

Light rail construction brings years of disruption, block access, like I said, lost parking and reduced visibility.

Customers start coming in many small businesses to NASA by this kind of impact.

We are so deeply concerned about safety in many cities.

Light realization has brought increased crime lottery and vandalism.

That is not what our families, employees or customers want for this community.

This project will harm business that have exists here for decades and damage a corridor that is already working.

I'm sorry.

On Indian School Road and reconsider its placement.

This is not the right location for the light rail.

We are not numbers in this map on the map.

We are families, employees, and decades of hard work.

Thank you.

David will be followed by Harliner.

David.

All right, good morning, uh members of the transportation subcommittee.

My name is David Schwartz.

Uh for about in this last several months I've been entering this kind of semi-retirement mode, but for 35 plus years before it was spent advocating and educating about for the city of Phoenix and also for public transit.

In fact, 10 years at the City of Phoenix, several of the work inside over at that table during these council meetings.

And I was thinking, how are you gonna pack 35 years of history into a two-minute um conversation?

And I don't need to do that.

Valley Metro has done a really good job giving you a lot of the history of the routes, and a number of people have already covered many of my points.

But what I wanted to mention to you is I think the most important part, the reason why transit has worked is we have momentum.

You have had momentum coming from very many successes with light rail.

It is doing really well, as you heard.

But part of it is it's a momentum matters, but let's talk about CapEx.

As many speakers have said, this has been on the ballot for more than 20 years.

People have voted for this, they understand it.

All of these folks have come out and said CapEx makes sense.

What I'm concerned about is if you if so CapEx is important, it has been approved.

If you don't approve CapEx, you're going against public integrity of the voters.

You have we have always had success in Phoenix because Phoenix follows what the voters want.

And it is important that you vote for CapEx.

Option one.

Any other option will delay it, and any other option will essentially kill light rail in the West Valley.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Followed by Mirabel.

Okay, Nor oh, Norman.

Oh Samara Marbell Good morning, councilman.

Um as a business owner over 25 years on Indian school and auto sales, I'm concerned that the light rail would be significantly harm our business.

Our customers depend on vehicle access, visibility, and parking construction, descriptions, lane reductions, and access limitations could permanently reduce sales and threaten our ability to operate.

Light rail does not serve our customer base, and we urge the city to pursue transportation solutions that support not damage existing local businesses.

So with that being said, we were not told either.

Um we just found out about it about a month ago.

And a lot of people that are are um that are for it, they're obviously not small business owners, so they would not understand how we would feel.

But this would basically damage us.

Um so please take into consideration that we do oppose.

Thank you.

Norman Norman will be followed by Julian.

Good morning.

Thank you for allowing me to speak today.

My name is Norman Sharaka.

I've been have a business on Indian school road since 1985.

The business has been there.

That business not only getting affected right now by the ADOT project that's happening over there on Indian school.

Now we're talking about another city rail road that's coming in there that is gonna take we are a hot zone currently for homeless and theft in that area, and we can't even get enough police police to come out there to do this.

If we put the light rail, it's just gonna increase homelessness and more devastation to the area.

Not only the devastation to businesses, but only to the whole community over there and the theft that's been happening there.

I strongly oppose the light rail project on Indian School.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Julian will be followed by William.

Good morning, uh City Council members, and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak today.

Uh I'm Julian.

I live in Phoenix.

Um I lived in Phoenix for 25 years, and I support the expansion of the LIRO along the CD Hall corridor.

Um I've been using the uh public transportation since I was in high school.

I have a visual impairment, and I have to rely on public transportation to get to point A to uh from point A to point B.

And um now that I'm older, I'm able to move to places that um help me uh move around the city, and that always has been around the line the LIRO because it helps me connect uh with other uh routes.

Um have the ability to be able to move uh uh along the light rail.

I currently live on Fifth Street and Thomas, so getting here today um was uh fairly easy, even though it still takes longer when you uh are commuting through public.

Uh just walking from my house to the to the LIRO station was five minutes, the waiting time and then the commute time.

So when you think of all of that, it takes um a long time for people um who are working class who rely on public transportation, not just on the bus, but on the LIRO system.

So having more uh public transit options helps people uh with disabilities, people with mobility um uh problems, and also um the the uh commuting time, the walking time.

So I highly encourage you all to think about the people who take public transportation all the time uh from the uh day to day.

I don't know if you all have taken the opportunity to take the lira, but if you haven't, I would highly invite uh encourage you to do that so you could see how it really um impacts people's lives in a good way.

And um I also like to get involved in um with um my electoral officials and um so I would um enjoy having the LIRO have the LIRA go to the uh the state capital.

Thank you.

Thank you.

William, followed by Hannah.

Good morning, I am William Kabinka, and like many of you in this room, I do pay federal taxes, and I prefer my taxes to be coming right back to Phoenix if at all possible.

So I would prefer that we not get hung up on finding the best possible option for this extension, and instead find one that is good enough and we can get rolling and we can get hundreds of millions of dollars federal dollars into Phoenix.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hannah.

And she is followed by Thomas Sevilla.

Uh good afternoon.

My name is Hannah Langmade, and I want to thank the members of the subcommittee for giving me the opportunity to represent Woodland's historic neighborhood.

I want us to return to a core responsibility that you guys carry today, that is protecting public trust, and choose option one.

We recognize and respect Valley Metro's intent to gather public input through its newly released survey.

Community engagement does matter, and it should always be a part of major infrastructure decisions.

However, we are deeply concerned that revisiting fundamental question or the fundamental question of high capacity transit in a public forum at a time when misinformation is circulating, could give undue weight and incomplete and inaccurate information.

In particular, we are troubled by recent suggestions that Indian School Road can serve as a viable opportunity for the Capitol extension.

To be clear, Chris uh to be crystal clear, Indian school has not been planned, it has not been vetted, it has not been studied or evaluated as part of the Capital Extension I-10 West, which is option one.

It is uh non-environmentally cleared and has never been an option for this portion of the light rail.

And whoever is presenting it as an option at this stage does not inform the public, it misdirects them.

This project, option one, is not starting from scratch.

The capital extension is more than 20 years in the making and approximately 60% designed.

It's voter-approved multiple times, and it's essential to unlocking the future of the I-10 West extension.

Reopening settled questions with this delay, loss of federal funding, and ultimately a failure to deliver commitments already made.

Uh again, our turn at Woodland Neighborhood is long overdue, and it's time to move this forward now.

Please choose option one.

Thank you.

Must not be here.

All right, that is all the speakers, and so I will turn to the council for questions and comments, but first I have just a couple questions.

And the first is I was contacted by um the Diamondbacks uh yesterday, and they had concerns with um uh some of the proposed uh options.

Could have you guys been contacted and had the sons reached out.

So um excuse me, madam chair, yes, uh the Diamondbacks have reached out to staff um requesting a meeting to discuss this.

We are in a process right now working closely with our teammates at Valley Metro to set up a meeting um to go over these alignment options with them.

Thank you.

And it appeared they were most concerned with the double track on Jefferson.

Also, uh, we did get a letter from uh representative livingston and Senator Kavanaugh, but have they they're a part of um the GLBC?

Have they yet approved the station locations for either of the 16th Avenue options?

Thank you, madam chair.

Uh the GLBC has not yet been presented with station locations.

The council has three corridor options before you for consideration.

Uh if and when staff would be directed to pursue continuance of design of any of those corridor station locations would be identified, and GLBC concurrence would be pursued.

That being said, I can tell you throughout this iterative process, we have engaged leadership of JLBC and have sought their feedback and have shared preliminary station locations, which are also in the public domain and the public materials.

I appreciate that.

And also, I we have heard from uh the Senate President and the Speaker of the House at the state legislature, and they both oppose anything within the Capitol Mall area.

But I've also, and I don't know if anyone's here from the Intergov's office or not, but I've also heard rumor that perhaps legislation will be introduced to prohibit light rail on I 10.

I don't know if any of the chairwoman, um, thank you, and members of the subcommittee.

We do have an ergo here.

Cities Eric Godinho is here.

I know Frank McCune was here just earlier.

I guess he has left, but Eric is here from government relations and can speak to that.

I would appreciate it because I am hearing those rumors, which are quite troubling.

Thank you.

Oh Madam Chair members of the council, at this point, there's been no legislation introduced.

All right, thank you.

Um that's my question for right now.

Any comments or questions?

Councilwoman.

Thank you so much, Chair.

Uh, I want to make sure we understand what are the next steps from this committee and from the committee.

Um, as I've been sitting here, we've seen quite a number of communication.

Um, some in favor, in my opinion, it seems to be some miscommunication.

But I think it might be helpful to articulate for the community.

What is the next step after the sub if the subcommittee makes or does not make a recommendation?

What is the next step that happens here?

Yes, um, madam chair, members of the subcommittee.

Once uh once a decision is made by this commission by the subcommittee, sorry, not commission, by the subcommittee, or if a recommendation is not made by the subcommittee, this item will still continue to move forward.

This will be going to a policy meeting on January 27 for the full council to see that.

Whatever action that is taken or not taken today will be reflected in that uh council report that will be provided to the full council on that date.

And thank you for that.

And um, prior to that full council uh meeting on January 27th.

Um, what if anything will continue with the process or with this pro with the process um as presented here?

Will there be continued community outreach?

What it will happen in the interim.

Yes, you are correct.

We will continue with the community engagement.

We still have several pop-up events that we have scheduled as well as virtual and in-person meetings that will continue throughout the process.

Um, the website that Valley Metro hosts, the valley metro.org forward slash Cap X will continue to house um project information being those presentations, being the um, and also the uh community feedback forms as well.

Thank you for that.

Um respect to I presume your similarly, the same time frame that we received this letter from our um from Representative Livingston and Senate or Cavanaugh, I presume there has not been any opportunity for Valley Metro to review the contents of that letter or to have an opinion as to whether or not that new letter changes any of our proposed um any of the proposed options thank you, council member, members of the subcommittee.

We did just receive the letter while we were in this meeting this morning.

Uh I can tell you we have had several meetings with Mr.

Livingston and Mr.

Kavanaugh.

Uh both have been generally focused on a 16th Avenue South option.

There were a quest included in Mr.

Livingston's letter uh that the corridor be contemplated to head south on 15th and not 16th as a new request.

However, I can tell you that this alignment and many different alignments were uh explored and considered.

We need to go back and have a look at it.

There weren't any what I would call um critical path or or you know damning concerns about going south on 15th Avenue.

So we can't commit to that, but I can tell you in terms of infrastructure and uh critical stakeholder and community feedback.

Um I I could potentially be viable, and that's as much information as I can give today.

And I understand, and my comments were more so as I presume you hadn't had the opportunity to really assess it the same way we just got it in real time with you.

Um, and I wanted to just point that out.

Um, my other question is we've seen a we've heard a lot of commentary from individuals on the Indian school.

Um I don't want to call it an option because it truly isn't an option.

It to me highlights the need for specific outreach in that area to ensure that they understand the what is actually being offered.

I don't know if this is somewhat of a miscommunication between the bus rapid transit as well as um the light rail, and I just want to know if there's any thoughts on how we can help make sure that those business owners are heard and respected.

I think we've done a really good job trying to build on and making sure that these projects do not hurt our small businesses in the area.

We've had I've I've been to um to help advocate for additional fundings to help support those businesses along the way, and I want to make sure that the business owners understand that we recognize that they are a key part of our community, and we want to make sure that they get the right information.

So I was just curious if you have any thoughts on how we are going to address those those communities along the any of the.

Yes, thank you.

I'll take that um, councilwoman Hodge Washington and members of the subcommittee.

So the city council approved a locally preferred alternative for the West Line, which runs along Indian School.

That action was taken in May of 2024 and approved by the Valley Metro board in June of 2024.

It's later in the transportation 2050 program.

We city staff, Valley Metro, have not received direction from the full city council to evaluate advancing that West Line.

If the City Council were to do that on January 27th, then we would have to move forward and do that evaluation, including looking at construction timelines, potential rough order of magnitude for cost estimates.

So I think there's been some mention of the West Line because again, it is a current city council approved locally preferred alternative route, but it is not included in option one or two specifically.

If the city council were to take action for option two, they could give staff direction to evaluate that, but that will take time, and staff would need to work with Valley Metro for that evaluation.

At that point as well, we would actively engage with the community, including all of the businesses along Indian School, to ensure that their feedback was reflected before any decisions were made by the council to go further with that.

Thank you so much for the clarification.

I think that just goes back for my opinion, it goes back to the need for like some level of making sure that the business the community understands really what is being um presented to them.

Um so thank you for that explanation.

Um but the I I just felt the need to ask a question because we've had so many individuals attend our meeting and share that.

I didn't want to think that we were being dismissive of their concerns.

So I appreciate that clarification on that.

Those could uh those conclude my questions, Chair.

And um, just uh I'll just one more question.

Yeah, um, as point of clarification, uh it's been noted several times that the voters voted on this particular line.

In option two, if we looked at option two, that doesn't mean CAPEX goes away, it just means it might be delayed, correct?

So would we because I don't think we want to ignore the the will of the voters someone can speak to that?

So, madam chair, um councilwoman start with option two.

So, madam chair, um, councilwoman start with option two, that uh direction from city council would make the determination whether the CapEx extension as shown today with those three alternatives is included in that alternative um in that option to re-evaluate, or if council wants to look at different alternative options for moving that forward, we would need specific direction from council of what the parameters of that evaluation.

So that could or could not include the capital extension.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And actually, you you answered probably the most burning question that I had with regard to the various options we have available.

But before I get into that, I want to thank the crowd for being here today.

You know, your your activism, and I use that for lack of a better word right now, but your your interest, your concern, everything that you've shown today doesn't get lost on us.

There's just so much to consider on each and every one of these options that um you know one of the things we're we're we, you know, responsibility we have is to be guardians of your tax dollars and how much some of these projects are going to cost in the short term and in a long term, if we delay for a while, you know, all of those things.

So thank you for coming out.

Thank you for allowing us to hear your concerns because it is incredibly important to us.

Now, that having been said, my I I keep going back to looking at option one, because clearly that's what a lot of folks here were talking about was able to the the chair showed me the a copy of the letter that came from the um you know the state today with regard to um what they would would would not oppose.

So I want to get into that a little bit more, obviously, but we need more information.

So I'm not gonna ask anybody any questions along those lines.

But I think my question more than anything else right now, because so much of it has been answered, would go to the folks in government affairs, either Eric or our Frank.

Um and I think it it's more about and I Eric, I hate to put you on the spot on this issue, but federal funding, you know, there's so much about federal funding.

Is there what can you tell us about federal funding?

Because again, trying to be good guardians, good stewards of taxpayers' monies and figuring out what we can and cannot do.

Give me an idea on what we can expect, and I know it's a shot in the dark, but what can we expect from the federal government in your estimation because you deal with these issues all the time?

Madam Chair, um Councilman Robinson and members of the subcommittee.

Um while no discretionary grant funding is ever certain, and while the administration's type of governing has been somewhat unpredictable, um, it has been supportive of transportation and transit grant funding, unlike other types of funding.

Earlier this year in the in their proposed FY 2026 budget request, they allocated or highlighted 2.2 billion for the CIG program, unlike House or in Senate leadership, even more than those two.

So they're very generally supportive of these types of projects.

Okay, thank you very much.

And Frank, if I can turn to you, I think of anybody that I know, you probably have a better pulse on what's going on at the state legislature.

As we move forward on give me a feel for the types of roadblocks we can expect or what type of pushback might we face if let's say we go with option one, and you know what what might happen.

We've already heard from the state they don't want to have anything to do with um some of the state legislators don't want to have anything to do with light rail and extensions and things like that.

But let's say we move down a path with one of these options, be it 16th Avenue North South or um Seventh Avenue.

Can you give us just a feel for looking in your crystal ball what we might see or hear?

Councilmember um Chairman Stark, Councilmember Robinson committee.

Obviously, it's always hard to use a crystal ball to protect the leg to predict the legislature in an interesting year with uh midterm elections coming up.

They have expressed their concern about the Capitol Mall and our routes.

Um the additional letter from Livingston and Kavanaugh today um comes from two partners that we've worked with on um working with the stakeholders and the routes, and they have some comfort, they've had some comfort level with the proposed routes, but it's no secret um that there's an entire contingent at the Capitol that doesn't support our light rail efforts.

That's why they carved out the the mall and the uh enabling legislation that allowed us to do Prop 479 and uh you know raise a lot of the funds to the ballot.

So um they obvious there is no proposed legislation that's been dropped yet, but there are rumors that they will that there's legislation that would limit our lines um or limit our abilities.

Um we do have a partner in the governor who supported um Prop 400 and and these efforts.

So if legislation were to get to the governor's office, we would work hard for uh a veto on something of that nature.

But uh legislation like that could could hang over our heads to the session, and while we're moving forward on these plans, it could be something that we're dealing with in addition to.

I think legal is looking at whether we they would have the teeth to impact us um beyond the original legislation um of the limitations, but those things would hang over our heads and we would deal with this.

Okay, thank you very much.

And you know, both of your answers thought that's what they would be, but I I needed to hear it from who I consider to be experts in that particular field.

And you know, I'll circle back around to a lot of the things that the folks in the audience said that um the young woman from Woodland Park with the Woodland shirt on.

You mentioned about our future and things like that.

Uh in this is just more anecdotal than anything else.

I remember in the it had to be in the mid-early 80s, I was a young police officer who had assignment here at City Hall just to watch over a council meeting.

And I remember then Terry Goddard, I believe he was the mayor, who was arguing pushing the light rail back then, and he said if we fail to do something now, he said someone else is gonna be dealing with it 30, 40 years down the road at a much more expensive price tag.

That's exactly what's going on now.

So I thank you all for your comments, everybody.

Excellent presentation, Jessica, Trevor, Marcus, everybody, thank you for everything you've done, the information you provided us with, and hopefully we as a council will be able to make a decision next month.

But it's very helpful for us to have this information.

There's still more information for us to glean and to understand more completely.

So thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Chair, for the time.

Um, just going back to the joint legislature uh budget committee.

Let's say if I know they get to weigh in on the stations, not necessarily the line unless it's in that zone.

Um if we were to purchase that property, let's say I'm just thinking out of the box.

Would they then have a say if it's within the uh Chairman Stark within the boundary that's outlined, even if we even within our own right-of-way and we purchased the building, they would still it would be still subject to their approvals.

Yeah, so they can still weigh in.

On the current, yeah.

I think I was kind of hoping maybe there was a way that we could not have to address that.

So, but here's someone who used to be in the legislature, so turn into councilman wearing.

He may understand this better.

Uh so Frank, you make a point about the governor, but in 13 months there could be a different governor working with this legislature.

Yeah, they're definitely Republican legislators who hate light rail, they're the majority, and they'll kill it if they can.

Uh, we went down this road before without right, passed it, and what did they do?

They passed a bill saying, Oh, you can't do that.

And so we spend money that's doing like maybe a tenth of what was originally intended.

So this isn't unprecedented.

We changed, as one of the speakers mentioned in 2018 and 2019, I believe it was two separate votes.

We effectively got rid of two lines or spurs of light rail, right?

There were supposed to be seven, now there's five.

That's not unprecedented.

We can do it if we want.

They certainly can do it if they get a governor who's amenable, which I'm not predicting that.

It's just it's 50-50.

So those are things to consider before more money is invested.

Uh they have made it clear, I think, since I was in the legislature, which is at least 15 years ago at the the latest, that they don't want it anywhere near the Capitol.

So that's not new news.

Don't need a crystal ball to see that.

Uh Marcus does a great job for us administering the program.

Uh Jessica just tires of hearing from me, so I appreciate the fact that she'll even sit there and not like throw spitballs at me.

But um, you know, I I would strongly encourage us to maybe explore other options that aren't going right into an area where people who could potentially kill it are sitting there saying they want to kill it.

That would seem to be reasonable, even if you think it should go over there, run for the legislature.

I did.

How hard could it really be?

So maybe you should consider that.

They did.

And so they're gonna get to maybe weigh in on this.

They're flexing their muscles now by sending these letters.

Ignore them at your peril.

We've done that before and gotten burned.

And the more you jab, the more they'll find other things to jab back.

I'm not gonna lie, it's fun.

So something also to consider in your august position as well, for however long you're still in it in uh government relations.

That's not ominous for those who don't know he's getting promoted.

So uh thank you.

I appreciate it.

It pained me to say nice things about Marcus.

He's a Viking fan.

I mean, it's surprising that trains even run given that, but maybe next year you can help them with the draft, Marcus.

Uh thanks, Deb.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, Councilman Waring.

Um I um this is quite a struggle because it it is been voted on by uh Phoenix several times.

However, I I do tend to agree with councilman wearing.

If we move forward, it might be at our peril, and we may regret um moving forward and then lose everything, where we might still have an opportunity to look at other options so that we can get light rail to the west side of our city.

And we do have two potential links, one up at Metro Center and one around 19th Avenue and Camelback.

And I I think we and I I think Bonnie, you may have already left, but I know that when she was on the council, she certainly fought hard to get light rail to the west side of the city, and I really do respect that.

Um I uh I do feel a lot like councilman wearing feels about it's at our peril.

It's can you believe I'm actually agreeing with councilman wearing?

But um and that argument, so yeah.

I know, but I that's my frustration is that I I want us to serve a part of our city is not being served.

My frustration is they keep getting delayed.

And I I it it it frightens me that um we might not be able to do that, and we may lose this funding anyway when we might have the ability to look at other options and then maybe come back and revisit this when we have a new legislature that may have a different concept of light rail.

But I I this is really a struggle.

I know we need to move on something.

Um I don't want to keep asking staff to look into their crystal ball because I know it's pretty murky and you can't really see much.

And I I do appreciate that the passion uh of everyone that testified today.

And um I've known David Schwartz for many many years, and I know he's very passionate about light rail and public transit, and I've really appreciated that passion, and I understand what he's saying, but this really is quite a struggle, and I'm not quite sure where the rest of the committee is on this.

I know it is coming to us in January as the entire council, but um I make a yes suggestion.

We're agonizing over decision we the four of us don't even get to make correct.

I mean we're providing some guidance to I guess the other members who are gonna make up their own minds anyway, if I know the other guys.

Yeah, I easily feel that we need to bring some kind of recommendation to them.

Um but this one truly is a struggle.

Councilwoman.

I actually was thinking that we probably need to, I would prefer like um as a council member represent district eight, there are things that affect my community differently than it would affect others.

I think there might be an opportunity for us to allow the other council members whose districts are affected by this to have additional time to conduct the necessary community outreach.

We have seen um I we've seen in the past where we if we were given additional time, we were able to build a necessary consensus.

And I think since personally, since no member of the um no member that sits on this committee is actually going to be affected by this extension of the light rail, that we probably should give those council members the opportunity to be a little bit more hands-on with the actual process and and the route and the recommendation.

That's my initial thought, thought chair.

I would also add by then the legislature will convene, and we might have a sense of what bills might be dropped, correct?

Frank.

Yeah, I it's tough, and I I know I know the council members that do represent these possible routes are very passionate about getting it to the west part of our city.

And um so I'm I mean, I hate that we may punt it without a decision, but maybe we can get some more information before the January 27th, and we'll certainly have a better feel of where the legislature is.

I don't know how to do that.

And I think it gives us time also to consider the impact of the proposed letter from the legislator.

I mean, it could be viewed as an opportunity for the legislator to see to say we're willing to um work with the city of Phoenix on this, and this might be a way to open the door for further communication.

Um, but I I want to make sure that my comments are clear that I am still I am in favor of light rail, I am in favor of connectivity, especially to our West Phoenix partners.

Um I I use the experience of our South Central extension to see how impactful that has been to the community.

It went from not existing earlier this year to becoming one of our most popular and most well written routes on the light rail system, and I don't want to deprive other communities of that same benefit.

I just want to make sure that the route and the decision is is made by individuals who actually represent the residents in that area, and we are making it with as much information as possible, including whether or not there might be an additional um some leeway that might be given from our legislative partners.

So thank you, Chair.

And would that give you some time maybe to look at possible alternatives along 19th and Camel back and up in the metro center area?

Could you just start to look?

I know you need more time than like, yeah, we can do it, but could you uh maybe start looking at the feasibility of that?

Thank you, madam chair, members of the subcommittee.

Uh so we can certainly begin looking at those corridors.

We would not be positioned to come back to this council in a month's time uh with information.

You know, the information we're sharing with you today on capital extension, we are a little past 60% design on this project, and it has been years in the making.

Um so we would not be positioned to come back with cost ridership, etc.

Um, if council directs us to take such action, we will certainly um spend the time and the resources to do that.

We could give you a timeline and a budget for producing the work by January.

That is something we could certainly accomplish and and okay uh outline potential corridors.

Maybe a timeline and budget would be helpful.

I I understand it's gonna take a lot more work than I'm asking.

So I I know you've really got to study the routes right away, understand how our roadways work in that area.

So I appreciate that.

Councilman Wearing.

Uh madam chair, if we vote for option one, then we are kind of locking ourselves in, and they will not study the other routes, correct?

But if we vote for option two, they've already studied the option one, right?

They've already, I think, pretty much done that.

They can go study the stuff, and then the whole group of us, the nine of us, can discuss it in January.

They obviously won't be done.

Um even I'm reasonable enough to think that would be unfair, but at least they'd get a little crack at it.

Yeah, but they're not gonna do it if we move option one forward, so that won't even be a discussion we would be having.

So I might suggest we move option two and then sort it out to the extent we can in January.

Unless I'm missing something.

So is that a form of a motion?

Sure.

I move option two.

Is there a second?

I think under the circumstances, I'll second the motion.

All right, so we have a motion and we have a second.

All in favor.

Um well, maybe all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And I will explain as well why I am very torn, but I think you're right.

That'll give us an opportunity to get at least a timeline and some background in it, and then we can just discuss have a more robust discussion in January.

So I'm abstaining.

I still think I'm gonna abstain because I don't I would still prefer to hear from the c my colleagues.

It affects three districts, and I none of them are represented here.

And I think given the opportunity, D4, D5, and D7 should have uh a little more input into the preferred direction for the light rail in their district.

And I do respect that, but it does move forward with option two, and um more robust conversation in January.

With that, I'm gonna turn to the city attorney to explain public comment.

And it was a three-one abstention.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh during citizen comment members of the public may address the subcommittee for up to three minutes on issues of interest or concern to them.

The issues being addressed, however, must be on the subject matter that falls within jurisdiction of the city Senate Council, and upon which uh the Phoenix City Council and the subcommittee have the power to act.

The Arizona Open Meeting Law permits the subcommittee members to listen to the comments for prohibits members from discussing or acting on the matters presented.

Thank you.

And we have three speakers, and Jerry Van Gas.

I think he may have left.

Okay.

I thought I saw him walk out.

Nicole Sanderson.

Hi again.

Thank you for acknowledging earlier the conflation that was going on of the comments between the two separate light rail projects.

I expect that you'll all be doing the work to disaggregate that input uh as far as the minutes and documentation are concerned.

Please also note this is a good example of the insufficiency of the support oppose question on the agenda item.

When the agenda item like this one includes multiple options, it's not clear to the public what support or oppose means.

Um that should also be clearly noted in the minutes, hence the uh because of the confusion today.

Uh, my general public comment.

Uh the defining feature of our economy today is that wealthy people can take advantage of changes, good change or bad or crises, while people without capital or access to capital tend to get very hit very hard by the same changes, good changes or crises.

Light rail projects and the disruption caused by construction are no different.

Uh, even if small business owners support light rail generally and see its long-term potential for improving the city and their own business, if they're at risk of going under during the construction period, they will oppose it.

It seems very apparent that the city and Valley Metro need to keep working on the small business support program.

I know you have one, I know it works, but I think it deserves more iteration as it accompanies light rail projects, keeping the small business grant period open throughout the construction, for example, or perhaps extending that support period even after construction would make sense.

I would also ask what else can the city give to small businesses to help without gift clause issues, perhaps a waiver of parking requirements throughout the construction period so that property owners can use their parking lots alternatively for business activities, selling Christmas trees would be an example, hosting food truck roundups.

Um perhaps granting them additional property rights uh in perpetuity is another option.

Another would be in sidewalks, bike lanes, other connections, and other amenities for the neighborhood alongside along the side streets accompanying these light rail projects in advance of the project that can increase access to the businesses.

That would be another way to make the businesses feel like they're getting compensated accordingly.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our last speaker is Jared Klu.

Welcome.

Hello.

My my main concern about uh just being a disabled individual that lives in the city that also current actually has factual evidence of being the most dangerous streets in the entire country in regards to vehicular violence on pedestrians and people on bikes.

Where it feels like that uh my needs as well as the needs of people who depend on transit to get around the city are dismissed and discarded.

Just for the convenience of very specifically wealthy individuals or industries that want to continue with the status quo of keeping the city car dependent, which will do nothing but endanger the lives of so many people when the there's so many automotive deaths because of conflicts of interest in regards to very high vehicular speeds on the roads, and I feel like the another thing that's very important in regards to traffic mitigation is just more alternatives to driving, which includes transit and the light rail.

And I feel like the another thing that's very important in regards to traffic mitigation is just more alternatives to driving, which includes transit and the light rail.

And um I've continued to vote in multiple elections to support expanding the transit, which keeps getting delayed and delayed and delayed and delayed for what?

It feels like it's just a perpetual case of go away, I don't want to listen to you.

And that's very disrespectful, I feel like, to myself and to many disabled people and children who rely on transit to get around independently without relying on their parents to real the now would really free up the parents' time to do other things that they really need to do and um grant independence for people who can't or don't want to drive.

Um because a place that goes out of its way to perpetually delay expansion of transit, especially in the fifth biggest city in the country in a desert, being outside is miserable.

We need more public transportation areas and just places outside to be where it's not miserable to be out in the desert heat.

And I think that including transit options would be very, very beneficial to helping with not only traffic alleviation and um the urban heat island effect, as well as just fewer people being on the roads in general, and all of that free time that you can now make use of when you're taking the public transportation methods, frees you have to do a lot of different things that driving refuses to allow someone to do because you have to pay attention to the road and stuff.

So for the sake of people like my father who had to rely on an electric scooter to get around, he's their needs also need to be addressed.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for your testimony.

Uh last item on the agenda future agenda items.

Are there any?

We are now adjourned.

Thank you.