AZBigMedia
As the monsoon season hits in earnest, the streets of Downtown Tempe are about to heat up. Downtown Streetcar construction on Mill Avenue between University Drive and Rio Salado Parkway comes to a wrap this week, and Tempe’s famed Mill Avenue re‐opens to traffic in both directions. Just in time for the annual matriculation at ASU’s main campus, Valley Metro is right on track with wrapping up Tempe Streetcar infrastructure work along Mill Avenue between University Drive and Rio Salado Parkway on Aug. 15, and local merchants and visitors breathe a sigh of relief.
The Downtown Tempe Authority (DTA), a non‐profit organized in 1993 to support the local business community, organized a summer‐long series of events and special celebrations at area businesses to help counter the construction disruption. Since May 2019, the DTA has been promoting its #RandomKindnessDT campaign with free gift card giveaways on the streets, and “Hard Hat Thursdays”, which include weekly promotions for downtown businesses. The last Hard Hat Thursday of the summer takes place on Aug. 15, and the DTA is planning a final blow‐out promotion to celebrate the re‐ opening of the northbound lane of Mill Avenue and restored traffic flow in both directions along the downtown’s main artery.
