Environmental Assessment

Tempe’s General Plan encourages high-density, mixed-use development andrevitalization and intensification of underutilized properties. Most recently, Valley Metro’slight rail development provides a good guide to market trends in the area. Since openingat the end of 2008, approximately $1.9 billion in private development has occurred inTempe adjacent to the light rail system. With Downtown Tempe already featuring thestate’s highest population and employment densities, eight new developments arecurrently under construction that together will bring an additional 4.3 million sf of newoffice, residential, retail and hotel space to the proposed Build Alternative’s study area.Furthermore, another nine developments are planned that will supply an additional3.3 million sf of office, residential, retail and hotel space to the study area by 2018.(Source: City of Tempe Development Projects, 2014). Figure 1-4 depicts thedevelopment sites within the study area.The proposed Build Alternative’s ridership in this area would benefit from currentredevelopment projects and has the potential to spur additional transit-orienteddevelopment projects in the future. Redevelopment opportunities in Downtown Tempe,Apache Boulevard and Rio Salado Parkway will conform to Tempe’s vision of asustainable, transit-supportive urban development pattern. An efficient intermodaltransfer for residents, workers and visitors will spur economic and transit-orienteddevelopment within the corridor.1.3 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT?The purpose of the proposed Build Alternative is to improve mobility and provideadditional capacity in the Rio Salado Parkway, Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevardcorridors in Downtown Tempe. The proposed Build Alternative is intended to provideresidents of Tempe and neighboring communities with an alternative convenient andreliable two-way, peak and off-peak period transit service with sufficient capacity tomeet the existing and projected population and employment growth along the corridor.Additionally, the purpose of the Build Alternative is to satisfy continued and growingtravel demand between corridor activity centers including Downtown Tempe, the ASUcampus, Tempe neighborhoods and emerging mixed-use centers in Downtown Tempeand along Apache Boulevard and Rio Salado Parkway.The proposed Build Alternative would improve regional transit service efficiencies byoptimizing the use of existing transit fleet resources to serve neighboring transitcorridors, relieving bus overcrowding during weekday peak periods and special eventsand expanding to meet future demand.Environmental Assessment Page 1-8 July 2015Tempe Streetcar