Staff Reports | Local News That Matters
The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration is awarding the Phoenix Public Transit Department with a $12.9 million congestion relief grant.
The award will fund Project EASE — Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion — in Phoenix, city officials tell the Digital Free Press.
In partnership with Via Transportation, Inc., this project will implement microtransit service (a flexible, on-demand transit option) and evaluate its effectiveness with the city’s commuter bus program, known as RAPID bus service, according to a press release.
Project EASE is a three-pronged congestion mitigation initiative designed to provide greater options for passengers to utilize public transit with efforts including:
- Implementing three strategically placed microtransit zones in Phoenix over a three-year period,
- augmenting existing RAPID commuter bus service that will complement the new microtransit zones,
- and integrating new and existing microtransit services into the regional transit software application (Valley Metro app) for trip planning, real-time vehicle tracking, and fare payments.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego lauds the grant effort to help alleviate local traffic.
“Today marks an exciting day for Phoenix with the award of a new $12.9 million grant to our Public Transit Department for Project EASE,” she said in the release. “The project won’t just help relieve congestion, it will also enable us to advance innovative transportation solutions that will improve our commuter bus program as well as explore new strategies to keep our city moving efficiently.”
The total project cost is estimated at $16.2 million, with Phoenix providing a local match of $3.2 million, city officials say.
