Buckeye council votes to install three-lane design on Monroe Avenue

At its Aug. 26, 2025, meeting, the City Council voted to move forward with a three-lane design on Monroe Avenue in downtown Buckeye, replacing a two-lane pilot with a configuration that adds a continuous center turn lane, city staff said.

City staff said the change is intended to reduce left-turns blocking traffic and make it easier for drivers to access local businesses while preserving parallel parking that was added during the pilot. “The goal? To transform Downtown Buckeye into a welcoming destination that fosters community belonging and encourages economic growth,” a city staff member said.

Why it matters: The three-lane design implements elements of the council-approved Downtown Specific Area Plan and is aimed at balancing traffic flow, business access and pedestrian safety. City staff said the design also supports future downtown improvements such as wider sidewalks and parklets.

Background and discussion: In 2024 the city restriped Monroe Avenue from four travel lanes to two, retaining left-turn lanes at signalized intersections; the pilot added parallel parking in front of businesses and reduced the posted speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph. Over the past year staff gathered community feedback through surveys, online input and meetings; residents and business owners raised concerns about safety and travel times. To respond, staff presented three options to the council: keep the existing two-lane configuration; adopt a three-lane design with a continuous center turn lane; or return to the original four-lane layout.

Decision and next steps: The council voted to proceed with the three-lane option. The transcript does not include the roll-call vote count or individual member votes. City staff said they will begin design work over the next few months and that free striping is scheduled for next summer, timed to minimize impacts on schools and downtown events.

Distinction between discussion and action: Community concerns about pedestrian safety and travel times were discussed as part of the public and staff input summarized for council. The formal action recorded in the meeting was the council vote to advance the three-lane design; the article does not infer any policy beyond that vote.

Implementation notes and limits: Staff described short-term steps (design and striping) and longer-term supports envisioned by the Downtown Specific Area Plan, such as wider sidewalks and potential parklets. Funding sources, specific construction budgets and final striping dates were not specified in the transcript.

What to watch for next: The city will produce design documents in the coming months and carry out striping next summer; staff said they will continue community engagement as designs are refined.