Jump to content

B Line (Valley Metro Rail)

Add links
Route map:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

B Line
B Line at the Metro Parkway station
Overview
OwnerValley Metro
LocalePhoenix, Arizona
Termini
Stations27
Service
SystemValley Metro Rail
History
OpenedJune 7, 2025 (2025-06-07)
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 750 V DC
Route map
Map B Line highlighted in orange
Legend
 Metro Parkway
Mountain View/25th Avenue
25th Avenue/Dunlap
19th Avenue/Dunlap
Northern/19th Avenue
Glendale/19th Avenue
Montebello/19th Avenue
19th Avenue/Camelback
7th Avenue/Camelback
Central Avenue/Camelback
Campbell/Central Avenue
Indian School/Central Avenue
Osborn/Central Avenue
Thomas/Central Avenue
Encanto/Central Avenue
McDowell/Central Avenue
Roosevelt/Central Avenue
McKinley Loop
Van Buren/
1st Avenue
|
Van Buren/
Central Avenue
 Washington/Central Avenue
Downtown Phoenix Hub
to Gilbert Road/Main Street
Lincoln/
1st Avenue
|
Lincoln/
Central Avenue
Sherman Loop
Buckeye/Central Avenue
Salt River
 Pioneer/Central Avenue
Broadway/Central Avenue
Roeser/Central Avenue
Southern/Central Avenue
Baseline/Central Avenue
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

The B Line is a light rail line in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the north-south line operating as part of the Valley Metro Rail system. Service began on June 7, 2025. The line's inauguration introduced a new two-line system, whereas the system had previously operated with a single line. The B Line runs from Metro Parkway to Baseline/Central Avenue.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Service pattern

[edit]

Trains along the segment are operate as a new line, originating at Baseline Road and running to the Downtown Phoenix Hub before taking over parts of the existing light rail system and continuing north to the terminus at Metro Parkway.[7][8] An additional 17 light rail vehicles will also be purchased to accommodate the increase in runs.[9]

History

[edit]

The B Line north of Downtown Phoenix was largely constructed as part of the inaugural Valley Metro Rail system, which opened as far north as Montebello/19th Avenue station in 2006. Further extensions of the Northwest Extension Phase I and Northwest Extension Phase II in 2016 and 2024 brought the line's northern terminus to Metro Parkway station.

The South Central Extension expanded the B Line from Downtown Phoenix south along Central Avenue to Baseline Road, adding 5.5 miles (8.9 km) and eight stations to the Valley Metro Rail system, while connecting with two park and ride locations.[10] The South Central Extension project also constructed a new central station in downtown Phoenix, centered on the block bounded by Central Ave, First Avenue, Washington Street, and Jefferson Street. The Downtown Hub project gives Valley Metro additional flexibility for operating rail services, allowing trains to short turn in Downtown Phoenix during peak hours and special events.

After receiving environmental approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in January 2017,[11] the project entered the design phase. Plans to reduce the number of general purpose lanes on Central from four to two to accommodate light rail tracks were initially met with backlash,[12][13] and the city council's decision to proceed with initial plans prompted groups to initiate a ballot measure aimed at stopping all Valley Metro Rail funding (which ultimately failed).[14][9] Construction began in 2019 and was completed in 2025, with the extension opening on June 7 the same year.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "South Central-Downtown Hub Light Rail Extension Opens June 7". City of Phoenix. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  2. ^ "South Central Extension/Downtown Hub Opening". Valley Metro. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  3. ^ "Two-Line Light Rail System Information". Valley Metro. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  4. ^ "Two-line System Map" (PDF). Valley Metro. 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "South Central Extension/Downtown Hub". Valley Metro. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  6. ^ "South Central-Downtown Hub Light Rail Extension Opens June 7". City of Phoenix. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  7. ^ "South Central Light Rail Expansion Environmental Assessment" (PDF). Valley Metro. Federal Transit Administration. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  8. ^ "South Central Extension/Downtown Hub". www.valleymetro.org. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Wanek-Libman, Mischa (December 7, 2020). "Valley Metro secures $638 million for South Central Light Rail Extension". Mass Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "South Central (Fact Sheet, Q2 2017)" (PDF). Valley Metro Rail. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  11. ^ "South Central Extension Step Closer to Reality". Valley Metro. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  12. ^ Flaherty, Joseph (June 21, 2018). "Bowing to Protests, Phoenix Will Reconsider South Central Light Rail Design". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  13. ^ Trierweiler, John (June 20, 2018). "Phoenix light rail extension: City to look into design of system". ABC15. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  14. ^ Boehm, Jessica (November 28, 2018). "Phoenix voters may again decide the future of light rail". AZ Central. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
[edit]
KML file (edit • help)
Template:Attached KML/B Line (Valley Metro Rail)
KML is not from Wikidata
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B_Line_(Valley_Metro_Rail)&oldid=1295183946"