The City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) is seeking applicants for the newly established First Avenue Citizens’ Corridor Planning Task Force. The formed Citizens’ Task Force will work with the DTM project team to establish priorities and advise on the alignment and design of the First Avenue Improvement Project from Grant Road to River Road. The Task Force will consist of 15 members representing areas of the community that will be most directly affected by the First Avenue project. 

Interested applicants should either: 

1. Reside near First Avenue 

2. Own a business or property along First Avenue 

3. Use the corridor for daily trips 

4. Be able to represent the interests of pedestrians, transit users, and/or bicyclists on First Avenue 

Residents can apply to be a member of the Task Force by filling out the following form: 

https://docs.tucsonaz.gov/Forms/TDTM-1st-Ave-Task-Force-Application  

The Task Force application form will close on January 31, 2024. 

It is anticipated that preliminary project design will begin in early 2024 and last approximately 18 months, with the Task Force meeting every one to two months, or as needed, at key project milestones throughout design.   

About the Project 

The First Avenue Improvement Project will modernize First Avenue from Grant Road to River Road. The project will involve the reconstruction of First Avenue as a four-lane divided roadway with continuous accessible sidewalks, street lighting, new pavement, replacement of the bridge over the Rillito River, enhanced bike lanes, landscaping, upgraded traffic signals and intersections, and drainage improvements. The full design of the corridor will take 3+ years, with an estimated construction start as early as 2027.   

To learn more about the project, visit: https://dtmprojects.tucsonaz.gov/pages/first-avenue

The First Avenue Improvement Project is part of the voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Plan, funded through a 1/2-cent countywide sales tax.