Connections to River Trail
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Existing Conditions Analysis
Traffic and Safety
Understanding existing travel patterns and safety conditions helps identify the most effective connections to the Rio Reimagined corridor. Safe and convenient walking and bicycling routes between the trail and nearby neighborhoods, employment centers, schools, parks, and commercial areas are essential to maximizing trail use and ensuring the corridor is accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
Active Transportation Volumes
The areas surrounding the Salt and Gila rivers contain a range of bicycle and pedestrian facilities that provide varying levels of comfort and connectivity. As the Rio Reimagined corridor is developed, there will be opportunities to strengthen these connections through the addition of protected bike lanes, sidewalks, enhanced crossings, and other active transportation improvements that safely link surrounding communities to the shared-use path. Existing bicycle and pedestrian activity throughout the study area is shown in the interactive map.
The highest levels of active transportation activity are concentrated around Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, where a combination of walkable streets, bicycle infrastructure, public transit access, and a large student population support significant pedestrian and bicycle travel. This area demonstrates how high-quality active transportation networks can encourage walking, bicycling, and other forms of mobility.
Roadway Vehicular Volumes
Major roadways with high-traffic volumes present opportunities to raise awareness of trails and amenities within the corridor. Strategic wayfinding, gateway treatments, and branded signage can help users locate trail access points while strengthening the corridor’s identity. Similar branding elements incorporated into streetscapes, intersections, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities can promote the trail system as well as guide residents and visitors to nearby trail connections.
Traffic volume data helps identify the most heavily traveled corridors where trail visibility, wayfinding, and access improvements may have the greatest impact. Existing vehicular traffic volumes are shown in the interactive map.
Safety Analysis
Providing safe routes for people arriving at the trail through walking, biking, driving, and transit is important to consider, especially as roadways are evaluated for active transportation connections between neighborhoods and the corridor. Safety conditions on roadways surrounding the study area were evaluated using both vehicular crash data and active transportation crash data. When analyzed alongside traffic volume information, crash data helps identify corridors and intersections where infrastructure improvements may be needed to create safer connections to the corridor shared-use path systems.
Active transportation crashes involve pedestrians or bicyclists and often highlight locations where additional safety improvements may be beneficial. Infrastructure elements such as protected bike lanes, enhanced crossings, improved lighting, medians, and sidewalks can help reduce conflicts and improve overall safety for trail users and other travelers. Active transportation crash data from 2021 through 2025 is shown in the interactive map.
Areas with high levels of walking and bicycling activity often experience a greater number of bicycle and pedestrian crashes simply because more people are using the transportation network. For example, the Arizona State University area is a notable center for active transportation and also experiences relatively high numbers of bicycle- and pedestrian-related crashes.
Several locations throughout the study area have elevated concentrations of active transportation crashes and may warrant additional analysis and safety improvements as trail connections are developed.
East Corridor
- Arizona State University and surrounding areas in Tempe
- Southern Avenue between 27th Street and 19th Avenue
- McDowell Road between 24th Street and 51st Avenue
- Downtown Phoenix
- Van Buren Street corridor
West Corridor
- Baseline Road and 51st Avenue
- 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road
- 99th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road
Overall, existing traffic patterns and safety data help identify locations where investments in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure can have the greatest benefit. These findings can help guide future improvements that enhance access to the Rio Reimagined corridor, increase trail visibility, and create safer connections between communities, destinations, and the regional trail network.
Active Transportation Safety
Vehicular Safety
State Route 30
State Route 30 (SR 30), also known as the Tres Rios Freeway, is a planned freeway corridor that will run parallel to the Salt River from
Interstate-17 in Phoenix to SR 85 in Buckeye. The project is expected to significantly influence growth and development in the agricultural areas along and adjacent to the Salt and Gila Rivers, where substantial residential and commercial development is anticipated in the coming decades.
SR 30 will be constructed in phases over approximately 20 years. The initial segment, extending from Loop 202 to 97th Avenue, is scheduled to begin construction in 2027. The final segment, between Loop 303 and SR 85, is anticipated to be completed by approximately 2046.
A shared-use path is planned along the north side of SR 30. Given the relatively short distance between the freeway corridor and the Rio Reimagined corridor, there will be numerous opportunities to create active transportation connections between the two trail systems. This plan identifies priority bicycle corridors that, when enhanced with All Ages and Abilities active transportation improvements, can provide safe, comfortable, and convenient connections between the SR 30 shared-use path and the Rio Reimagined corridor.
SR 30 Alignment
Demographic Trends
Based on MAG socioeconomic projections, Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZs) intersecting the study corridor are projected to grow from approximately 836,400 residents and 578,700 jobs in 2020 to more than 1.24 million residents and 850,100 jobs by 2050. This represents an increase of approximately 403,600 residents (48%) and 271,400 jobs (47%) over the 30-year period.
While growth is expected throughout the corridor, distinct differences exist between the East Valley and West Valley. The East Valley currently contains the majority of the corridor’s population and employment, with approximately 572,100 residents and 468,700 jobs in 2020. By 2050, the East Valley is projected to grow to nearly 786,000 residents and 634,600 jobs, representing population growth of approximately 37% and employment growth of approximately 35%.
Population Growth
Employment Growth
In contrast, the West Valley is projected to experience significantly faster growth. Population within the West Valley portion of the study area is forecasted to increase from approximately 264,300 residents in 2020 to more than 453,300 residents by 2050, representing growth of approximately 72%. Employment is projected to nearly double over the same period, increasing from approximately 110,000 jobs to more than 215,500 jobs, a growth rate of approximately 96%. As communities such as Buckeye, Goodyear, and Avondale continue to expand, opportunities will exist to integrate Rio Reimagined active transportation infrastructure into these developing networks.
The study area is also characterized by a diverse population and a broad range of socioeconomic conditions. The largest age cohorts are between 20 and 34 years old, with the 25- to 29-year-old age group representing the largest segment of the population. More than 250,000 residents are under the age of 20, reflecting a significant number of families and emphasizing the need for safe and accessible connections to schools, parks, recreation facilities, and community destinations. Hispanic and Latino residents comprise approximately 45% of the study area population, making them the largest demographic group within the corridor. Household incomes vary considerably throughout the study area, with approximately 23% of households earning less than $50,000 annually and approximately 11% of households living below the federal poverty level.
Equity Analysis
Transportation access and equity are also important considerations throughout the corridor. More than 22,600 households do not have access to a vehicle, while 42% of households have one or fewer vehicles available. Approximately 13,700 households are classified as having limited English proficiency, and nearly 20,000 households lack internet access. These characteristics highlight the importance of providing safe, affordable, and accessible transportation options that support mobility for residents with varying transportation needs and resources.
Vulnerable Populations
Key Takeaways
- Corridor population is projected to increase by more than 403,000 residents (48%) between 2020 and 2050.
- Corridor employment is projected to increase by more than 271,000 jobs (47%) during the same period.
- West Valley population is projected to grow by 72%, adding approximately 189,000 residents by 2050.
- West Valley employment is projected to grow by 96%, nearly doubling by 2050.
- More than 250,000 residents are under age 20.
- The 25-29 age group represents the largest population cohort.
- Approximately 45% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.
- More than 22,600 households do not have access to a vehicle.
- Approximately 42% of households have one or fewer vehicles available.
- Approximately 20,100 households (11%) live below the federal poverty level.
- Approximately 13,600 households (4.5%) have limited English proficiency.
