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Councilman Greg Stanton's
Arcadia News Column
October 2006
Camelback Road Pedestrian Underpass Moving Forward
If you've driven on Camelback Road around 24th Street for the past few months, I'm sure you've noticed the cones, crews and equipment that mark a major street construction project. If you peek in the right place between 24th and 26th streets, you can see how the whole area will be friendlier for pedestrians in the future.
Construction of the Camelback Road Pedestrian underpass is well under way. It's going to be an attractive link to the shopping, dining and living areas on the north and south sides of Camelback Road. And it's exactly the kind of connection Phoenix needs, because all great cities are pedestrian friendly cities. Providing residents with nice, safe places to walk is important for commerce and can lead to great exercise and a healthier lifestyle.
The underpass is scheduled for completion by next spring. Crews will pause their in-street work in November to make holiday shopping easier for all. During the holiday season, they will continue work on the inside of the underpass, which features back-lit, glass block walls and a terrazzo walkway designed by an artistic team. For construction details, you can visit
www.camelback-pedestrian-underpass.com or call the project hotline at 602-248-4211.
The timing of the underpass is the perfect complement to the excellent redesign happening at the Biltmore Fashion Park. As part of the center's major, two-phase redevelopment, they're adding pedestrian enhancements, including better sidewalks and walkways and a connection to the underpass. The first phase of the Fashion Park's construction is scheduled to be completed by mid-November before the holiday rush, and they plan to hold a grand re-opening event on Friday, Nov. 17, with proceeds to benefit the Phoenix Art Museum (which also has a great renovation underway!). The construction team building the underpass is also working closely with management at the Camelback Esplanade on the south side of the road.
This type of teamwork between government, private businesses and residents is crucial. We've had excellent public involvement on the underbridge project from the beginning, with dozens of public meetings in the community. Our thanks go to the businesses involved, all residents in the area and groups like the Citizen Advisory Committee, the Biltmore Area Partnership and the Arizona Biltmore Estates Village Association.
After the dust clears, this project will enhance the city's premier shopping core, making it a safer and more enjoyable place to walk. Projects like this are a priority, with a great pay-off for all involved.
Putting one foot in front of the other is a safe, fun and efficient way to get around in many areas. On Camelback Road, we're setting an example for the rest of the city to follow.
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton represents Arcadia and is a member of the City Council Public Safety Subcommittee. If you have any questions about any issues, please feel free to call Councilman Stanton's office at 602-262-7491, e-mail greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit phoenix.gov/district6.
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