Buckeye highlights McDowell Road extension to Verrado Marketplace, pedestrian tunnel and new 9-1-1 center

City staff presented Buckeye’s Capital Improvement Program, highlighting a planned extension of McDowell Road from Jack Rabbit Trail to Tuthill Wash that will lead into Verrado Marketplace and a pedestrian tunnel already built beneath the roadway.

“In Buckeye, growth doesn't just happen by accident. Our capital improvement program plans, funds, and builds the projects our community needs,” a City staff member said during the presentation. The staff member described the McDowell Road extension as intended to “ease traffic for years to come.”

The presentation said the pedestrian tunnel beneath the roadway is already built and positioned to move pedestrians safely once surrounding development increases. The staff member also listed other projects completed or funded through the CIP, naming a new 9-1-1 communications center, new recreation centers and parks.

The staff member framed the CIP as a comprehensive planning tool: “Because growth isn't just about roads, it's about building community.” No construction schedule or cost estimates for the McDowell Road extension were given in the remarks, and the presentation did not specify funding sources or timelines.

The remarks emphasized planning and infrastructure intended to support future growth around Verrado Marketplace and adjacent neighborhoods, but provided few details about permitting, procurement or construction milestones.