The City of Phoenix calls it a "community-driven project." On the City's 56th Street project page, that phrase sits above a list of goals that start with pedestrians and bicyclists. Drivers come later. After eight years of open houses, design drawings and missed start dates, the stretch of 56th Street from Thomas Road to Camelback Road is now a work zone. The City scheduled construction to begin October 12, 2026, and expects to finish in Fall 2028.
Most of the plan serves people on foot and on bikes. The one big change for drivers came from residents too. The City says neighbors asked for a left-turn arrow at Camelback, and the project rebuilds that signal completely. The street that comes out of this is meant to be walked, and the corner residents complained about most is getting the biggest fix.
From 2018 open houses to a $25 million contract
The project moved slowly, and each step went on the public record:
- 2018. The City held three corridor-study open houses, on June 20, July 18 and September 26.
- February 2022. ABC15 reported that the resident group SAVES and Connects 56th Street had been pushing for changes on the corridor for five years.
- May 2022. Final design began for the full project.
- March 3, 2026. The City received three construction bids.
- May 20, 2026. A City Council report recommended Hunter Contracting Co. as the lowest-priced responsive bidder, with fees not to exceed $25,456,930.40.
- October 12, 2026. Construction was scheduled to begin. Four days later, the Arcadia Camelback Mountain Neighborhood Association posted an update on its blog titled "Construction has started!"
Earlier forecasts look optimistic now. An azcentral report from December 2023 expected construction in 2025, and ABC15's 2022 coverage projected 2024. The work began in October 2026, and local District 6 Councilmember Kevin Robinson wrote in his November column for Arcadia News that the project should take about two years.
What the street is being rebuilt to do
The City's own wording explains the design. The project aims to put "the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists first," close gaps in the bike and pedestrian network, meet ADA standards, fix drainage, and add shade through green infrastructure. It also promotes safe routes to school. The list of improvements follows from those goals:
- Multi-use paths on both sides. A continuous path 10 to 12 feet wide will run along the west and east sides of 56th Street. The City describes it as built for younger cyclists, school-age children, families and pedestrians.
- A 24-inch storm drain running the length of the corridor from Thomas Road to Camelback Road.
- Low-water-use shade trees planted next to the sidewalk and the multi-use path.
- Traffic calming meant to slow speeds and improve safety.
- Possible changes or improvements to the existing roundabout at Exeter Boulevard.
- Curb ramps and sidewalks upgraded to current ADA standards.
The Council report adds lighting, landscaping, traffic signal work, potential pavement preservation, and "other roadway safety measures." The October construction notice says traffic signals will be updated at five intersections. The legend on the City's 90% design roll plot includes raised intersections, raised pedestrian crossings and traffic chokers, which are the physical forms that traffic calming takes on a street like this.
The same plot shows how much of daily Arcadia sits along the corridor. It labels Thomas Road, Osborn Road, Indian School Road, the Arizona Canal, Lafayette Boulevard, Exeter Boulevard and Camelback Road, along with Veritas Prep and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. School drop-offs, Sunday services and canal crossings all fall inside the work zone.
The driver-facing change residents asked for
The car-focused part of the plan is at the north end, and the City credits it directly to public comment. Under a heading that reads "You Asked, We Listened!", the project page says residents asked for a left-turn arrow from eastbound Camelback onto 56th Street, and from 56th Street onto westbound Camelback. The City went further than an arrow and designed a complete signal rebuild into the project:
Green, solid yellow, red and flashing yellow arrows for ALL approaches. Dedicated left turn lane for northbound 56th Street. Pedestrian push buttons and countdown timers for all four approaches. New, improved ADA ramp access on all corners.
Even this driver fix carries pedestrian features. Each corner gets countdown timers and new ramps. The intersection drivers asked about will also be easier to cross on foot.
Where crews start, and what the phase numbers mean
Two City documents describe the two segments this way:
| Segment | City project number | Phase in the May 2026 Council report | Order in the October 2026 notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian School Road to Camelback Road | ST87210049 | Phase 1 | After the south end |
| Thomas Road to Indian School Road | ST87210047 | Phase 2 | Work starts here |
So the segment the Council report calls "Phase 2" is the first one crews are working on. The notice says construction will initially begin at the south end, between Thomas Road and Indian School Road. The project page lists construction on both phases beginning in October 2026. The Council report sets a contract term of 660 calendar days from the notice to proceed.
Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. That window covers the morning school run and most of the afternoon one. The City says some night and weekend work may be scheduled when needed to reduce the impact on the community.
Getting the closure notices before you hit the cones
The October notice does not list specific lane closures or detours. The City says it will issue more notices "as specific work activities and traffic changes are scheduled." These are the ways to get those notices:
- Project hotline: 623-825-3444
- Email: [email protected]
- Project page and update sign-up: phoenix.gov/streets/56thStreet, which also links the June 2026 final project map
- Citywide restrictions: the Street Transportation Department's street closures page, whose restriction map is updated hourly
- Neighborhood updates: the ACMNA 56th Street blog
The ACMNA post also notes that the association has several openings on its board of directors. That board is one of the most direct ways to stay close to a project the City describes as community-driven.
The corridor's weekend calendar keeps going
Neighborhood life continues along the edges of the work zone. The annual Arcadia Neighborhood Picnic is set for Saturday, November 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hopi Elementary, 5110 E. Lafayette Blvd., and Arcadia News lists it as free. Lafayette Boulevard is one of the cross streets labeled on the City's design plot. Being a weekend event, it falls outside the standard construction hours.
West of the corridor, Hi Noon Hospitality plans to open its first B&R Fish Shop in December next to the original Buck & Rider at 4343 E. Camelback Road. The Arizona Republic reports that it will sell raw seafood and a limited made-to-order sushi menu, and quotes CEO Adam Strecker: "I want to have the best sake program in the entire state of Arizona." For anyone coming from the 56th Street side, Camelback is the route that gets the rebuilt signal at the north end of the project.
By Fall 2028, the walk from Thomas Road to Camelback Road should run on a continuous shaded path on both sides of the street, ending at an intersection with countdown timers on every corner.
If you own a home along 56th Street, or are thinking about one, and want to know how two years of corridor work and the finished street could affect your timing, Arizona Proper Real Estate follows this project block by block across Arcadia. Schedule a private consultation and we will walk through what the construction schedule means for your plans.
