By June 10, 2021, this letter will be sent to the City of Phoenix:

Add your name to the opposition petition by emailing volunteer@savenorthcentral.com and take the survey at: www.phoenix.gov/streets/lanechanges/Central.
TO THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND KINI KNUDSON, CITY TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR:
We oppose the Central Avenue restriping proposal, which would reduce the number of through traffic lanes north of Bethany Home Road from the present four down to two (only one lane in each direction), and ask that you make no changes to the current design of Central Avenue. The proposal was ill-conceived and will create huge problems for the citizens, churches, schools, and businesses in the North Central Area. The proposal was poorly conceived and the City failed to fairly and fully obtain public comment in many ways.
  • The only limited traffic study was done on Central during COVID (in February 2021) when Central area schools, churches, preschools, etc. were closed or operating in a limited capacity so the results are not valid.
  • No study was done or will be done, to evaluate the impact of the proposed changes to the surrounding streets and neighborhoods, including 7th Avenue and 7th Street and beyond. Significant changes in the North Central area without traffic impact studies is irresponsible.
  • The signs giving notice of the hearing were posted on Central during COVID when fewer people than normal were driving on Central to see it.
  • Many people struggled to use or download the WebEx technology to attend the meeting.
  • People without access to computers were unable to attend the meeting.
  • Many speakers could not be heard during the meeting due to technical issues so their views were not heard.
  • Two of the questions asking about priorities in the polling questions during the meeting and in the survey are biased and required forced-choice answers rather than allowing citizens to express their views.
  • The survey questions should have simply asked whether a person was in favor of the proposal or not.
  • Only people who attended the meeting were directed to fill out the survey. While the project website has information about the survey, there is no process to drive citizens to the website to voice their opinion.
The proposal should be rejected in its entirety for many reasons.
  • The buses and watering trucks will partially block the only thru lane on Central, impeding the flow of traffic or stopping it altogether.
  • While the apparent goal is to push traffic off of Central, 7th Street is already at maximum capacity.
  • Whenever there is an accident or incident on Central, motorists flood the east/west neighborhood streets, and then use 3rd Avenue and 3rd Street to drive north and south. The speed bumps are no match for the influx of traffic that occurs when traffic is diverted off of Central. These streets are not arterial streets. More cars on these streets will transform neighborhoods into unsafe thoroughfares.
  • The proposal violates the Phoenix Complete Street policy that requires safe bike routes for children. The City acknowledges that it did not design the new bike lanes for children. Third Avenue is the safe bike route that is used by all kids from Northern to Glendale, 7th Ave to Central to get to Madison Meadows and All Saints, using the crossing guard at Glendale. With increased traffic expected on 3rd Avenue, children, who often ride 5 or 6 abreast, will be unsafe.
  • We do not need more bike lanes. Third Avenue is a safe bike route from the Arizona Canal to Bethany Home where bike commuters pick up the bike lane on Central. Third Avenue is part of the Phoenix Sonoran Bikeway. Recreational road bikers also use the Arizona Canal so more bike lanes are not necessary. The surface of the paths on canal banks is paved or hard-packed dirt, which hundreds of road bike enthusiasts use daily.
  • We need two lanes in each direction because there are thousands of people who must use Central to access their homes, churches, and schools. Specifically,

  • there are more than 20 streets and small access roads to homes and home/townhouse communities that are only accessible from Central,
  • there are 6 churches and the Self Realization Fellowship between Bethany Home and Northern, many of which are only accessible from Central,
  • many homes face Central, which are only accessible from Central Avenue,
  • 1 restaurant is only accessible from Central Avenue,
  • many families use Central to access All Saints and Madison Meadows either directly from Central or by turning from Central onto Maryland,
  • there are preschools, summer camps, and other events that take place at schools and churches that must use Central,
  • many parents must use Central to access All Saints and Madison Meadows because they live outside of the North Central area and Maryland ends at the 51N,
  • many people use Central to access Central Avenue schools and churches south of Bethany Home.
  • city and school buses must travel on Central.

This proposal violates the Phoenix Compete Streets Policy, which requires “projects to be tailored to the specific needs of each community.” Projects must meet the needs of all of the North Central residents, not just a few Central Avenue residents who hope the restriping encourages people to travel in the surrounding area instead. This proposal does not meet the needs of the North Central Community. Leave Central alone. Reject the Proposal. Sincerely, North Central Neighbors