City of Phoenix Wraps Up Biggest Ever Street Paving Season

Phoenix’s 2019 street paving season will go on record as the biggest ever to be accomplished featuring more than 250 miles of newly paved streets. Due largely to the Council-approved $200 million financing of Transportation 2050 street program revenues, the city tripled the number of arterial and major street miles that were paved this year.

The increase in budget for arterial and major streets coupled with the pavement maintenance budget for local and collector streets created a $90 million annual budget for the city’s street maintenance program.

“Phoenix should be recognized for many things, including our robust transportation options. Whether that is increased light rail track, bus routes, bike lanes, or modernized street design and maintenance our city is pursuing the transportation network of the future,” said Mayor Kate Gallego. “Voter-approved Transportation 2050 has been a critical tool in helping us reach these goals. Current and future Phoenicians will reap the benefits of these investments.”

Accomplishments from this year’s street paving season include:

– 195 local street miles paved,
– 60 arterial and major street miles paved,
– 120 local street miles and 35 arterial and major street miles received a pavement preservation treatment, such as fog seal or crack seal,
– 5,650 new wheelchair accessible sidewalk ramps installed, and
– one-half of a million tons of asphalt used.

“Our residents deserve a big thank you for their support of T2050 that funded this program, for their feedback as we identified the greatest need throughout the city and for their patience while the Street Transportation Department undertook its largest and most comprehensive pavement maintenance program,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams, chairwoman, Transportation Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee. “Significantly improving the condition of city streets is a key priority for the Council and it took action to unanimously approve a plan to advance $200 million over five years for pavement maintenance projects. Our first season wraps as a success and we look forward to accomplishing much more.”

As the city wraps up this year’s paving season, which occurs each year during warm weather months, street maintenance crews have already started preparing streets for the paving seasons taking place during years 2021 through 2023. Preparation work includes repairing damaged sidewalks, curbs and gutters; retrofitting sidewalks with wheelchair accessible ramps and sealing cracks in the asphalt.

All streets included in the city’s current five-year pavement maintenance program are highlighted in an interactive street maintenance map available at phoenix.gov/PavementProgram.