With the first phase completed in November 2019 and the second in January, the "Grand Canalscape" project is a 12-mile multi-use trail that stretches from Interstate 17 to Tempe. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and road biking. “We had to cover our bases as far as getting public input and doing a study session, so it’s a long but worthy process, ” Kajfez said. The city is kicking off two projects that will begin to address the gaps in the off-street path network in this area. Once built, people will be able to use the Grand Canal, Rio Salado Path and Indian Bend Wash paths for direct, continuous off-street travel into Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe. Historic American Engineering Record, Creator, Lewis C Hill, Fred Anderson, and Carol Noland, Durben, Mark, and Kevin Kreisel-Coons, photographer.
Festivities will continue along the canal bank until noon.Eighteen new street crossings, including nine high-visibility pedestrian crossing signals, were built to ensure pedestrians and bicyclists are able to safely get across the roads that intersect the canal path.The 12-mile trail system is part of a larger regional trail and crossing project with the ultimate goal of connecting Glendale and Tempe with a continuous trail along the canal.“People are surprised when I tell them that Phoenix has more canal miles than Venice or Amsterdam," Mayor Gallego said. Photo, Print, Drawing Grand Canal, North side of Salt River, Tempe, Maricopa County, AZ Enlarge View 36 images in sequence. Completed in 1913, the New Crosscut Canal connects the Arizona and Grand canals. The first phase includes the north bank between 15th Avenue and 16th Street and the south bank between Garfield and Van Buren streets. City council meetings for Phase I were held on May 8 and 11.The Grand Canal multi-use path is one of Tempe’s sustainable efforts this year, as well as being named the first Vision Zero city in all of Arizona. The Grand Canal, the oldest remaining pioneer canal on the north side of the Salt River, runs 25 miles west-east from 99th Avenue near the University of Phoenix Stadium to Tempe Public Park. The Arizona Canal was begun in May 1883 by the Arizona Canal Company, which was formed in December 1882.The original heading was the old Arizona Dam, located on the Salt River about one mile below the mouth of the Verde River. The Grand Canal Path is one of the longest multi-use trails in the Phoenix metropolitan area, linking the large cities of Glendale, Phoenix and Tempe. All Rights Reserved.In addition to re-landscaping paths that already exist to make them safer, the city of Tempe plans to construct new paths to develop safer connections between commonly biked areas.“The Grand Canal project is one of the short term improvements identified as a public priority by the Transportation Commission board,” Walman said.“Not all of our bicycling friends are comfortable riding on a busy street even if it has a buffered bike lane, so having alternatives for recreation and transportation is very important,” T.B.A.G Treasurer, Jeff Caslake said.Neighborhood services specialist, Laura Kajfez, said the city can expect to see this project completed in approximately 5 years. This project will provide for a continuous off-street pathway that was originally envisioned through the Multi-Use Path System Detailed Plan (2000) and was also identified in the Tempe Transportation Master Plan.