Final Regional Transportation Plan Approved

The Maricopa Association of Governments—working with local communities, state and regional agencies, business leaders, and the public—has developed the new Regional Transportation Plan that will guide transportation investments for the next 20 years. Technical studies conducted across the region, along with extensive public outreach and support from the business community, have all contributed to building a transportation plan that is designed to balance various needs throughout the region while meeting performance-based standards.

The Plan was approved by the Transportation Policy Committee and Regional Council and has also passed required air quality standards. The full Plan and executive summary are available online.

See the News Updates page for more press releases, and the Public Outreach Activities Project page for an up-to-date calendar and the latest related documents.

Here are some key components of the Draft Regional Transportation Plan.

• New freeways with better access and more capacity.
• More transportation choices.
• Improved streets and intersections.
• Expanded commuter options for rush-hour travel.
• Extensions to the planned light rail system.
• More bus service.

Freeways/Highways = 57% of total regional funds

• Additional lanes on Loop 101, Loop 202, I-10, I-17, SR 51, US 60.
• New freeways, including Loop 303, the I-10 Reliever, Williams Gateway Parkway and the South Mountain Loop.
• New or improved traffic interchanges.
• New carpool (HOV) lanes.
• Grand Avenue improvements.
• Maintenance (litter control and landscaping).
• Computerized freeway management system.
• Rubberized asphalt to reduce freeway noise.

Transit = 32% of total regional funds (15% bus, 15% rail, 2% other transit)

• 27.7 miles of new light rail extensions.
• New or enhanced bus service on 28 routes, plus the creation of 12 new routes.
• Improvements to express/bus rapid transit service, including 14 new BRT routes.
• A tripling of ADA Dial-a-ride services.
• 13 park-and-ride lots and 13 transit centers.
• More than 2,100 new buses, 1,000 new Dial-a-Ride vehicles and more than 1,400 new commuter van-pool vehicles.
• More bus pullouts.

Street Improvements = 9% of total regional funds

• Upgrade Northern Avenue to a parkway.
• Construct new Rio Salado Parkway and Sonoran Parkway.
• Major street and intersection improvements across the Valley.
• Intelligent Transportation Systems such as “smart” signals that sense traffic conditions.

Other Programs = 2% of total regional funds

• Safety planning.
• Regional planning programs.
• Bicycle projects.
• Pedestrian facilities.
• Rideshare and other programs to reduce travel and improve air quality.

A printable PDF version of this FAQ Sheet is also available.