ReinventPHX Canals

Canal Photo courtesy of
Roadboy's Travels

There was a major series of articles in the Arizona Republic spotlighting potential upgrades to Phoenix's canal infrastructure:

Dubbed Reinvent PHX, the project includes plans to transform areas where the canal crosses rail lines, creating urban hubs that celebrate the iconic waterways. Residents who have commented on the planning effort have listed canal development and improvements as a top priority...
 Bob Jenson, an avid biker who lives near the canal, said the ride is so unpleasant that he's avoided it for years, instead taking surface streets or heading north to the more commuter-friendly and scenic Arizona Canal. But Jenson sees major potential if Phoenix moves forward with plans to create a series of highly visible, safe crossings along the Grand Canal.
"It could be taken all the way down from my house to Tempe," said Jenson, vice president of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists. "One of our problems is we don't really have that much in the line of east-west connections" for bicyclists. Phoenix is studying areas where the Grand Canal crosses major streets, such as Seventh Avenue, Seventh Street and Indian School Road. The Street Transportation Department wants to turn the canal into a major corridor for bike riders and pedestrians to safely travel across the city.