Expand / Collapse search
☰
Extreme Heat Warning
until FRI 8:00 PM MST, Aguila Valley, Northwest Pinal County, Northwest Valley, Globe/Miami, South Mountain/Ahwatukee, Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, East Valley, North Phoenix/Glendale, Gila Bend, Tonopah Desert, Superior, Central Phoenix, Rio Verde/Salt River, Southeast Valley/Queen Creek, Cave Creek/New River, Dripping Springs, West Pinal County, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, San Carlos, Sonoran Desert Natl Monument, Fountain Hills/East Mesa, Tonto Basin, Buckeye/Avondale, Deer Valley
12
Extreme Heat Warning
until FRI 9:00 PM MST, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, Western Pima County including Ajo/Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, Eastern Cochise County below 5000 ft including Douglas/Wilcox, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle
Red Flag Warning
from FRI 9:00 AM MDT until SAT 9:00 PM MDT, Black Mesa Area, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward, Chinle Valley, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264
Red Flag Warning
from FRI 8:00 AM MST until SAT 8:00 PM MST, Yavapai County Mountains, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County, Eastern Mogollon Rim, Western Mogollon Rim, Coconino Plateau, Marble and Glen Canyons, Kaibab Plateau, Grand Canyon Country, White Mountains, Southern Gila County/Tonto National Forest Foothills
Red Flag Warning
until SAT 11:00 PM MST, Northwest Deserts/Northwest Plateau, Lake Mead NRA/Colorado River-AZ side
Extreme Heat Warning
until FRI 7:00 PM MST, Grand Canyon Country
Wind Advisory
until FRI 8:00 PM MST, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County
Wind Advisory
from SAT 8:00 AM MST until SAT 8:00 PM MST, Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County, Coconino Plateau, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County, Yavapai County Mountains, Western Mogollon Rim, Grand Canyon Country, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County, Kaibab Plateau
Wind Advisory
until FRI 9:00 PM MDT, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau, Chinle Valley, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264, Black Mesa Area
Wind Advisory
from SAT 9:00 AM MDT until SAT 9:00 PM MDT, Chinle Valley, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward, Black Mesa Area, Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264, Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau
Lake Wind Advisory
from SAT 8:00 AM MST until SAT 11:00 PM MST, Lake Havasu and Fort Mohave, Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Wind Advisory
from SAT 8:00 AM MST until SAT 11:00 PM MST, Northwest Plateau, Northwest Deserts

Some businesses along South Phoenix light rail extension say they are still losing customers

By
Published  June 17, 2025 9:46pm MST
Transportation
FOX 10 Phoenix
Phoenix light rail experiences growing pains

Phoenix light rail experiences growing pains

Some businesses along a portion of Central Avenue say the recently-opened light rail extension is not making up for the money that they lost during its construction. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach reports.

The Brief

    • Some businesses along the South Central Extension of Phoenix's light rail system say they are feeling negative impacts.
    • They say the new light rail line makes turning across Central Avenue not possible in places.
    • One company said they lost a sizable portion of their business.

PHOENIX - Some say Phoenix's light rail system is experiencing some growing pains, as Valley Metro recently opened the new South Central Extension that extends the light rail from Downtown Phoenix to South Phoenix, along Central Avenue.

The backstory:

According to the Associated Press, construction of the initial stretch of light rail in the Phoenix area began in 2005, and service began in December 2008.

Since then, the system has seen expansions, including the South Central Extension that recently opened.

The light rail, per AP's report, is used by high school and college students and working professionals, as well as disabled and elderly people who find bus travel difficult. Rail critics point out the system is also heavily used by homeless people.

Local perspective:

On June 17, we spoke with some businesses along Central Avenue who said the new line isn't making up for what they lost during construction.

The biggest change some of these business owners noted is the inability to make a turn across Central Avenue. If customers want to go to any businesses on the left-hand side of Central, they have to drive down to a place where they can turn around. Business owners say it eliminates a sizable portion of their customers.

"You don't expect to lose, like, 30 to 40% of business over a little – over construction," said Derek Hamm, manager at Pete’s Fish and Chips. "You know, all of a sudden, it wasn't just a little construction. It's four and a half years."

Dan and Kimberly Vallens own and operate a business called A Tropical Concept Plant Nursery. They have been in the area for 16 years, but the lengthy Light Rail construction could be enough to put them under.

"Who's going to buy a tree and take it on the Light Rail? Nobody," said Kimberly.

"It’ll never go back to what it used to be," Dan said. "Everything's changed, and everything's just so much different."

The Vallens said at one point, they were making six figures. In the last couple of years, however, their sales have plummeted, and they fear the customers that were driven away won’t be coming back.

"It’s like, look at the other light rails. It didn't get better for them. What makes you think it's going to get better down here?" Kimberly said.

The other side:

Officials with Valley Mertro said the extension will add about 8,000 riders daily to the light rail system.

Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix created a business assistance program. In a statement to FOX 10, they said, in part: "the first-of-its-kind Small Business Financial Assistance grant program, providing $1.6 million to locally-owned, small businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub corridor."

Officials said 89% of businesses took part, but businesses say it was hard to come by, and not enough to make an impact.

"I'm sure most businesses on this road didn't qualify," Hamm said.

"I have to water them. That $9,000 ain’t even good for two months," said Kimberly. "It was like pulling a tooth."

At some points, the project closed off access points to places like Pete’s.

"They were hurried up to get out of here, and said we will compensate, you know, for the loss of business," Hamm said. "And we filled out all the paperwork and everything and never got anything."

The Source

  • Information for this article was gathered by FOX 10's Kenzie Beach. 

TransportationSouth PhoenixBusinessNews