Kelly, Sinema: $17.4 Million Awarded to Tempe Streetcar Project
Senators helped secure funds through American Rescue Plan
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema announced that the Federal Transit Administration awarded $17.4 million to Valley Metro’s Tempe Streetcar Project.
“As I meet with small business owners and workers across the state, it’s clear we must continue to invest in a robust transportation system that connects Arizonans to more economic opportunities. I am proud to have helped secure this important investment in the Phoenix Metro Area’s transportation system,” said Kelly, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“Today’s grant funding for the Tempe Streetcar Project continues the expansion and modernization of the Phoenix Metro Area’s transportation system, creates jobs, and helps fuel Arizona’s economic recovery,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee.
The American Rescue Plan—which Kelly and Sinema helped pass into law—allocated $250 million to fund 22 Small Starts projects in the Capitol Investment Grants program. Valley Metro’s Streetcar Project was one of the projects. These grants are meant to assist project sponsors with their local match.
The Valley Metro Tempe Streetcar Project is a three-mile streetcar with 14 stations and six vehicles that will connect downtown Tempe, Arizona State University, and the emerging employment corridor of Rio Salado Parkway, which connects existing light rail serving Phoenix, Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
As a member of the Senate EPW Committee, Kelly helped shape and pass the bipartisan Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, which included major Arizona priorities like dedicated funding to repair Arizona’s bridges, investment in transportation infrastructure resiliency, an amendment to study the use of locally-sourced aggregates, and specific funding for Tribal infrastructure. The bipartisan bill set a new baseline funding level at a historic high of $303.5 billion for Department of Transportation programs and was a 34% increase from the last reauthorization to pass Congress, the FAST Act, in 2015.
