By Jessica Boehm | Arizona Republic
After months of debate and uncertainty, Phoenix will move forward with the controversial light-rail extension in south Phoenix.
Community concern over the proposed 5.5-mile, light rail project — planned for Central Avenue between Washington Street and Baseline Road — erupted in early 2018 when a group dubbed “4 Lanes or No Train” sprouted in south Phoenix.
The group said it was concerned that the project, which is set to whittle Central Avenue down to two lanes, will bottleneck traffic and kill businesses.
The council approved the two-lane design in 2014. Voters approved funding for the project in 2015. But some residents and business owners said they hadn’t been told about the lane decrease or included in the decision-making process.
