By Parker Leavitt | The Arizona Republic
The rapid population growth that transformed Gilbert from a sleepy farming community into a major Phoenix suburb also left the town with a transportation system that has struggled to keep up.
Now, the town finds itself spending more than $400,000 for its first transportation master plan to address roadway bottlenecks, disappearing bike lanes and scant mass-transit options.
Although Gilbert has added 180,000 residents over the past two decades, the town offers limited bus service, with just three local routes extending into the town’s borders.
Street conditions have improved after millions of dollars in road construction, but residents still complain of abrupt bottlenecks that encourage drivers to jostle for position as lanes merge.
