AASHTO Journal - FTA Provides $75M Grant to Tempe Streetcar Project

The Federal Transit Administration is providing a $75 million grant to the Tempe Streetcar project in Tempe, Arizona – a transit project designed to improve mobility and transit service through the historic downtown Tempe area, which is the city’s government and financial center, while linking riders to Arizona State University and Valley Metro’s existing light rail system.

[Above photo by the FTA.]

FTA’s fiscal support for the Tempe Streetcar project flows from its Capital Investment Grants program and follows an allocation made last November as part of a broader CIG award.

The Tempe Streetcar is a three-mile-long line dotted with 14 stations and served by six vehicles that will connect downtown Tempe, Arizona State University, and the emerging employment corridor of Rio Salado Parkway, which connects existing light rail serving Phoenix, Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

The total project cost is $192.4 million, including this request of $75 million in federal transit infrastructure grants, noted FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams

“FTA is proud to join our partners in Arizona to improve public transportation in downtown Tempe,” she said in a statement. “The Tempe Streetcar will provide fast and efficient service, improving mobility and access to other transportation services for the thousands of riders who use this service every day.”