Valley Metro ceremony to mark LRT extension

Phoenix's Valley Metro Wednesday will celebrate its first groundbreaking specifically marking an expansion of its light trail transit system, heralding a 3.1-mile Central Mesa extension east to Mesa, Ariz.

Valley Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose says all are welcome to attend. We want the community — residents, business owners, young people — to all be a part of the history of our project and the history of transit in the Valley,” Foose said.

The $200 million extension will be the first new segment since Metro opened its initial 20-mile system in December 2008. The extension is slated to open in 2015.

Last March, Valley Metro selected Valley Transit Constructors (VTC), a joint venture, for the design and construction of the LRT extension.

Valley Metro’s current LRT line, serving Phoenix and Tempe, does extend across Mesa’s western border, east of the state capital, but Mesa officials have sought to extend the line more deeply into the municipality. Mesa’s pro-rail stance has stood in marked contrast to some of Phoenix’s other suburbs, which have sought to avoid LRT expansion.