Overview
- The City Council voted 7–2 to shelve the voter-approved Capitol extension and prioritize an Indian School Road corridor to Maryvale’s Desert Sky Transit Center.
- Valley Metro said it will abandon the Capitol plan and begin community engagement this year for the west Phoenix route.
- Republican lawmakers opposed the Capitol project, citing roughly $250 million per mile costs and advancing measures to curb construction near the State Capitol, despite support from Gov. Katie Hobbs’ team touting projected economic gains.
- Expansion funding remains uncertain because plans rely heavily on Federal Transit Administration grants, with the prior spring deadline tied to the Capitol and I‑10 proposals no longer relevant and new grant timing not set.
- City staff said the Indian School line is in very early stages with design possibly by 2029 and construction around 2031, after the city already spent about $20–$25 million on planning tied to earlier routes.