Trails and street crossings for Phoenix-area walkers and cyclists will soon see tangible improvements, thanks to a grant secured from National Infrastructure Investments with Congressman Ruben Gallego’s help, USDOT announced yesterday from Washington, D.C.
The $10.3 million allotment was made by National Infrastructure Investments, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, to the City of Phoenix’s Grand Canal Bike and Pedestrian Improvements Project. The funding, known as the TIGER VII Discretionary Grant Program, will pave the way for canal trails, street crossings and important public transportation links, including access to bus and light rail lines, over an 8-mile span of the Grand Canalscape in Phoenix.
Congressman Ruben Gallego sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in support of the City of Phoenix’s grant application in July 2015. Following the award, Gallego issued an appreciative statement.
“The Grand Canalscape project will provide Phoenix residents with a safer means of walking or biking to work or to school,” the Congressman said. “It will also link members of economically-challenged communities to nearby schools, employment centers, and to vital services including hospitals and medical centers.”
“I want to congratulate the City of Phoenix on receiving this significant award, which will allow it to make great strides toward improving cyclist and pedestrian infrastructure and safety,” Gallego concluded.
The initiative’s website explains that the Grand Canalscape corridor will serve as a template for the larger multi-use trail and crossing project to eventually create a contiguous trail along the Grand Canal from Glendale to the west, east to Tempe.
“With nearly 900 miles of off-street bicycle paths in the Phoenix metro area, including paved paths along the urban canal system, the envisioned transformation into quality gathering spaces as well as functional modes of travel for commuters and recreational users will greatly enhance the potential of the area,” the website states.