TRANSCOMMTGMINUTES 4.28.2026.PDF

Minutes of the meeting of Tempe Transportation Commission held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. via Teams and at the 
Tempe Transportation Center located at 200 E. Fifth Street, Tempe AZ 85281. 
 
Members Present 
David Sokolowski 
Amanda Nelson 
Roy Peterson 
Anthony Strait 
Kelsey Files 
Samuel Thiele    
Dawn Hocking 
 
(MEMBERS) Absent:  
Mark Richwine 
 
 
Sasha Pachito 
Chris Watts 
Jacob Cox 
Kendra Flory 
Stevie Milne 
Andrea Chalmers 
Claire Lauer 
 
   
   
   
City Staff Present: 
Lisette Camacho, Deputy City Manager 
Eric Iwersen, Transportation & Sustainability Director 
Riley DeGroot, Transportation Maintenance Manager 
Cathy Hollow, Principal Civil Engineer 
Lindsay Post, Senior Transportation Planner 
Michelle Beckely, Senior Civil Engineer 
Mitchell Willard, Transportation Planner 
Alex Phillips, Transportation Planner 
Sue Taaffe, Admin 
Robert Baer, Municipal Budget Director 
Shauna Warner, Neighborhood Services Director 
Shelly Seyler, Deputy Transportation & Sustainability 
Director 
Chase Walman, Principal Transportation Planner 
Sam Stevenson, Transit Manager 
Morgan Kennedy, Neighborhood & Community 
Engagement Specialist 
Carla Sidi, Management Assistant 
 
 
Guests Present:  
John Federico 
Katie Boligitz 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
Commissioner Dawn Hocking called the meeting to order at 7:31 a.m. 
Minutes 
City of Tempe Meeting of the Transportation Commission 
April 28, 2026

2 
 
 
 
Agenda Item 1 – Public Appearances 
Katie Boligitz spoke on behalf of TBAG in support of agenda item # 3, proposed reduction of speed limits.  
 
Agenda Item 2 – Transit Tax 
Lisettee Camacho and Robert Baer made a presentation about the proposal to advance a .1% tax increase to voters in November 
2026. Topics included: 
• 
Strategies for Financial Stability to Replace State Legislative Revenue Loss 
• 
State Legislative Revenue Losses 
• 
Transit Fund Operating Cost 
• 
Potential Transit Fund Scenario 
• 
2025 Community and Business Surveys 
• 
Funding 
• 
Proposed Sales Tax Increase 
• 
Food for Home Consumption (Food Tax) 
• 
Timeline 
 
Discussion included   
• 
Survey results 
• 
Public involvement process 
• 
Streetcar budget and funding 
• 
Smith Road and other bicycle and pedestrian project costs 
• 
Prop 479 funding 
• 
.1% sales tax increase revenue 
• 
Definition of “muti-modal” 
• 
1996 Transit Tax ballot language 
• 
Rental tax 
• 
Bus operations cost increases 
• 
Publicity pamphlet 
• 
Ballot initiative public education 
• 
Budget deficit  
• 
.2% sales tax increase proposal 
• 
Deferment of tax increase until 2028 
• 
Parking studies 
• 
Proposal to include maintaining and operating current services 
• 
Efficiency in service, i.e., Express Bus 
• 
Valley Metro Bus Network Redesign 
 
A motion was made to support the proposed transit tax increase with updated ballot language to define multimodal, including 
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. 
 
Motion:  Commissioner Dawn Hocking 
Second:  Commissioner Anthony Strait

3 
 
 
Decision:  Approved by Commissioners 
Dawn Hocking 
 
 
 
 
Kelsey Files 
Kendra Flory 
 
 
 
 
Samuel Thiele 
Andrea Chalmers  
 
 
 
Chris Watts 
Anthony Strait 
 
Nay: 
David Sokolowski  
 
 
 
Roy Peterson 
Claire Lauer 
 
 
 
 
Stevie Milne 
 
Abstained: 
Jacob Cox 
 
 
 
 
Amanda Nelson 
 
Motion did not pass. 
 
NOTE: It was determined that three Commissioners (Roy Peterson, Stevie Milne and Claire Lauer), intended to vote in favor of 
Motion 1 on Agenda Item #2. Subsequently another meeting was scheduled for April 30 for a revote.
 
A motion was made to delay the proposed transit tax increase election until 2028. 
 
Motion:  Commissioner David Sokolowski 
Second:  Commissioner Amanda Nelson 
 
Decision: Approved by Commissioners 
Amanda Nelson  
 
 
 
David Sokolowski 
Roy Peterson 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nay: 
Dawn Hocking 
 
 
 
 
Kelsey Files 
Kendra Flory 
 
 
 
 
Samuel Thiele 
Andrea Chalmers  
 
 
 
Chris Watts 
Anthony Strait 
 
 
 
 
Claire Lauer 
 
Abstained: 
Jacob Cox 
 
 
 
 
Stevie Milne 
 
 
 
 
Motion did not pass.  
 
Agenda Item 3 – Speed Limits 
Eric Iwersen provided an update of the final speed limit reduction proposal along specific corridors. Topics included: 
• 
Reason for proposal 
• 
City Council Priorities 
• 
Proposed Speed Limit Changes 
▪ 
McKellips Road 
▪ 
Miller Road 
▪ 
Veterans Way/Fifth Street 
▪ 
Broadway Road 
▪ 
Roosevelt Street

2 
 
 
▪ 
Priest Drive  
▪ 
Guadalupe Road 
• 
Outreach and Public Engagement 
• 
Survey Responses 
• 
Data Considerations 
• 
Example: 5th St/Veterans Way Characteristics 
• 
Crash Data 
 
Discussion included when the last time speed limits were adjusted in Tempe in 2024. 
 
A motion was made to support the proposed speed limit reductions. 
 
Motion:  Commissioner Amanda Nelson 
Second:  Commissioner Kendra Flory 
 
 
Decision:  Approved by Commissioners 
Amanda Nelson   
 
 
 
Claire Lauer 
Roy Peterson 
 
 
 
 
Stevie Milne 
Anthony Strait 
 
 
 
 
David Sokolowski 
Kendra Flory 
 
 
 
 
Kelsey Files 
Andrea Chalmers  
 
 
 
Chris Watts 
Samuel Thiele 
 
 
 
 
Motion passes. 
 
Agenda Item 4 – Department & Regional Transportation Updates 
None 
 
Agenda Item 5 – Future Agenda Items 
The following future agenda items have been previously identified by the Commission or staff: 
 
• 
May 12   
o Prop 479 – Maggie Wong, MAG  
o Bike Hero  
• 
June 9  
o College Ave Traffic Calming Update (including results from the speed cushion installation)  
o City Speed Cushion Process/Traffic Calming Tools  
• 
July 14  
• 
August 11 
o Tempe Transportation Plan 2050  
• 
September 8  
• 
October 13  
o Tempe Transportation Plan 2050  
• 
November 10  
o Annual Report 
o Tempe Transportation Plan 2050

3 
 
 
• 
December 8  
o Commission Business – acknowledge outgoing commissioners 
o Transit Survey Results – WestGroup Research 
• 
January 12  
o Commission Business – elect Chair and Vice Chair and welcome new commissioners 
• 
February 9 
• 
March 9 
• 
TBD: 5th and Mill Crosswalk Update  
 
 
The next meeting is scheduled for May 12, 2026. The meeting was adjourned at 9:06 a.m. 
Prepared by: Sue Taaffe 
Reviewed by: Shely Seyler