1.15.2026 MILL AVE UPDATE.PDF

City of Tempe — Work Study Session (2026-01-15)

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Mill Avenue Streetscape Update
Work Study Session
January 15, 2026
1

Overview
• Project Purpose & Elements
• Progress of Construction
• Business, Event & Resident Outreach
• Remaining Construction
• Next Steps
2

Performance Measures
•
1.05 – Feeling of Safety in Your Neighborhood
•
3.14 – ADA Transition Plan
•
3.26 – 20 Minute City
•
4.11 – Tree and Shade Canopy
•
5.03 – Capital Investment Created
3

Project Purpose & Elements
Elements (all new): 
•
Irrigation & Electrical Lines
•
Sidewalk Brick & Expanded Pedestrian Space
•
ADA Improvements
•
Bike Racks
•
Greater Diversity of Trees & Expanded Planting Areas
•
String Lighting
•
Mosaic Medallions with Tempe Images
•
Light & Signal Foundations
•
Bus Shelters with Indigenous Designs
•
Mill Ave Gateway Structure
Purpose: 
•
Refresh Mill Ave Infrastructure (40+ years since upgrades)
•
Support Tempe & its Businesses, Events & Residents
4

Project Area / Mill Ave (University 
to Rio Salado)
5

Progress of 
Construction 
Overview
•
Began Summer 2024
•
Sidewalks installed
•
7 intersections/corners completed
•
Signal & light foundations 
completed
•
All electrical & irrigation lines 
completed
•
ADA Improvements completed
•
Trees installed
6

Irrigation and Electrical Lines
•
New irrigation lines to support tree and plant success
•
New electrical lines to support downtown events, 
growth and operations needs
7

Sidewalk Brick & Expanded Pedestrian Space
•
New red brick and concrete pavers
•
Concrete bands delineating patios from pedestrian area
•
“Bulb-outs” to create expanded pedestrian space at multiple intersections
8

ADA Improvements
•
New pedestrian ramps at all intersections
•
New push buttons with current ADA requirements
•
Sidewalk cross-slope improvements
9

Trees and Expanded Planting Areas
•
5 new sustainable 
desert tree species
•
125 new trees
•
Chinese Pistache, 
Ghost Gum 
Eucalyptus, Mastic, 
Olive, Tipu
•
Expanded planter 
islands, using mulch
•
Preserve existing 
healthy Ficus
10

String Lighting
•
Overhead string lights installed
•
Fourth St, Mill - Maple
•
Sixth St, Myrtle - Maple
11

Mosaic Medallions
12

Bus Shelters with Indigenous Designs
•
Partnered with Heiku, Public Art, Transit to develop designs 
into new shelters
•
Artists: Joshua Yazzie, Jacob Butler
•
3 new shelters on Mill Ave
13

Mill Ave Gateway Sign
14

Communication
Regular updates:
•
DTA 
•
Contractor 
engagement
•
Targeted & 1:1 
communications with 
directly impacted 
businesses
•
Monthly public 
recorded meetings
•
Customized 
construction 
solutions
15

Events and Business Outreach
Continued Event Coordination with DTA, 
Tempe Tourism, ASU, Businesses
Tempe Blooms
Festival of the Arts
Innings Festival
Fantasy of Lights Parade
… and more
16

90% Complete
Punchlist Items
Some Intersection Corners
Gateway Install (block closure, several days)
Paving & Striping (late Spring/early Summer)
Monthly Public Project Updates
Target project completion date Fall 2026
Project Status / Next Steps
17

Questions
18