Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix are asking West Phoenix residents to help shape the next phase of the region’s light rail network. Community feedback is now being collected on potential routes for the Capitol Extension — a planned line running from downtown to the State Capitol — and how it will link with the future I-10 West extension.
The Phoenix City Council is expected to make a major decision in January 2026: either adopt an updated Capitol Extension route to move the project forward or step back and reassess other high-capacity transit options for the area. Officials say community perspectives gathered over the next several weeks will play a significant role in determining that direction.
To support that effort, the city is hosting a series of in-person and online meetings where residents can review plans, ask questions, and provide input. Two identical sessions are scheduled at Capitol Elementary — one hosted by the District 7 council office — with materials also available online in English and Spanish. Those unable to attend can view presentations and submit feedback at Valley Metro’s project page.
Public comments will be accepted through January, ahead of the council’s final vote later that month.
The Capitol Extension would push the existing Valley Metro Rail west from downtown to the State Capitol, eventually linking with the I-10 West project and creating a continuous rail connection to the Desert Sky Transit Center. The 10-mile I-10 West extension, planned to run within the freeway median before shifting north toward its terminus, is designed to serve a growing West Valley ridership base. More background on the projects is available at valleymetro.org/CAPEX.
Valley Metro says the expansions are key pieces of a long-range effort to build out a 50-mile rail system by the 2030s, supported in part by regional transportation funds renewed by voters in 2024.
Residents can stay updated through the agency’s website and mobile app as the debate over West Phoenix transit heads toward its January decision point.
