Proposed Transit Line Would Connect Downtown Tucson to Airport

A proposed 15-mile transit line would connect downtown Tucson to the city’s international airport, reports Perla Shaheen for KGUN9. “The transit will run directly from the Tucson Mall to the Airport, and is expected to bring in major business development. This could impact around 30 neighborhoods, many of which are historically made up of low-income, marginalized communities.”

The article notes that “There are 14 community engagement officers asking people in these areas what development they'd like to see. The City also created an online survey that’s received more than 2,000 responses. 78% of those surveyed support the development of affordable housing.” Monica Landgrave-Serrano from Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility said "We want to see how open the community is to duplexes, transitional homes, live-work options” that could provide more affordable housing than existing single-family homes.

A prior article by Shaheen outlines the proposed transit line, which “would connect three transit centers, a lot of major employers: Pima Community College, the Veterans Hospital, the airport itself,” says Project Manager Ian Sansom. “It'll be another five to ten years before this transit line is complete. The city is still figuring out where exactly it'll go and whether or not it will be a street car or a bus.”