When the light rail extension into South Phoenix formally opened last June, it closed a chapter of anticipation and a much longer chapter of disruption for the businesses that line Central Avenue. The project added more than five miles of track to the Valley Metro system and, according to transit officials, now accounts for about 20 percent of system ridership along the South‑Central corridor a year after the grand opening. For business owners who endured extended construction and its effects on foot traffic, the anniversary is a moment to measure recovery and recalibrate for whatever comes next.
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Residents and officials pack the platform for a ribbon-cutting and anniversary event at the South Phoenix light rail extension, with light-rail vehicles visible in the background.
Longtime merchants say they are beginning to see the first signs of a new rhythm. Old School City, a print shop with roots stretching back more than five decades in the neighborhood, is a case in point. The business has occupied space at South Plaza near Central and Baseline for roughly 40 years, long before the rail project began. Owner Willie Aguilar framed his perspective in terms of endurance and adjustment: “Old School City has been here since '73, 1980 here in the plaza,” he said. “We’ve been here before light rail, and we'll be here after light rail. For us, it's a learning curve. How can we benefit from it?”
Not every enterprise weathered the construction the same way. Some businesses launched even as heavy equipment and lane closures reshaped the look and flow of Central Avenue. Red Velvet Bakery is one of those newer ventures. The bakery opened during the building phase and has since expanded both its menu and its services, adding breakfast, beverages and a community co‑working space to its offerings. Owner Myesha Harris described a steady change in who walks through the door: “I want people to know that we are here…and we have survived construction,” she said. “We’re getting more customers that we didn’t see over the last two years because no one wanted to come down Central Avenue.”
The construction years were not without controversy. During the project, a local group in Phoenix raised concerns that the rail work was producing more harm than good for businesses and residents along the corridor. Those complaints captured a common refrain from owners facing prolonged closures, altered access and uncertainty about when normal customer patterns would return. That period of disruption has become a touchstone for how both the community and transit officials judge the early return on the project one year in.
Transit officials point to measurable ridership as a sign of the extension’s immediate impact. Valley Metro reports that, a year after the extension opened to the public, the South‑Central corridor carries about 20 percent of the system’s ridership. The five‑plus miles added to the network extended service deeper into South Phoenix neighborhoods and, officials say, connected riders to jobs, schools and services along Central Avenue and beyond. For business owners, however, that statistic is only one indicator; the more tangible metric for many is whether customers are returning and whether revenue has recovered from the slump felt during construction.
Owners along Central Avenue described a slow and uneven rebuilding process. Some have seen a steady uptick in new faces and regular customers who previously avoided the stretch during construction. Others continue to adapt their offerings and hours, searching for new ways to capture a ridership that did not exist before the rail arrived. The comments from Aguilar and Harris illustrate the dual reality: established businesses emphasizing resilience and adaptation, and newer ones trying to build a customer base while taking advantage of the increased foot traffic the rail can bring.
A local reporter spent time interviewing transit officials and merchants to document what the first year has looked like. That reporting captured both the quantitative numbers offered by Valley Metro and the qualitative experiences of business owners who lived through the construction phase and its immediate aftermath. As the second year of operation begins, merchants and transit leaders alike are watching whether the early ridership figures translate into sustained economic activity for the corridor and whether the lessons learned during the construction years inform future transit expansions.
One year after the ribbon‑cutting and anniversary events that marked the extension’s opening, South Phoenix businesses are still in the process of rebuilding and adapting. Some report clear benefits in the form of new customers and expanded services; others remain wary, remembering the strain of the construction period and the calls from community members who argued the project had inflicted harm. For now, the corridor carries a growing proportion of transit riders, and merchants continue to weigh how best to capture the opportunities that accompanying foot traffic might provide.
Local reporting by Fox 10 News captured ongoing struggles for some merchants, including a plant nursery in operation for 16 years that fears closure. Owners cited new traffic patterns preventing left turns across Central Avenue as a major barrier, with one asking, "Who's going to buy a tree and take it on the light rail? Nobody."
The extension officially opened on June 7, 2025; the project added 5.5 miles of track, eight new stations and established a two-line Valley Metro rail system with more frequent weekday service.
The South Central Extension was built at an estimated cost of $1.34 billion, financed largely by federal grants with additional funding from Phoenix Transportation 2050 and regional Proposition 400.
Valley Metro reports the new alignment carried more than 2 million riders in its first year of service.
To support businesses during construction, Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix ran a Small Business Financial Assistance Program that has awarded roughly $1.58 million in grants to about 272 businesses along the corridor (with grants of up to $9,000 available) and provided complementary business-assistance services such as marketing support and community events.