The Brief

PHOENIX - Valley Metro's investments in its light rail system appear to be paying off, with a recent rider survey reporting positive numbers for safety and usage.

By the numbers:

The agency has spent $4 billion on the system since 2008 and is now seeing a return on that investment.

Ridership on the light rail is back to pre-pandemic levels and rising, increasing 21% year over year to 45,000 daily weekday riders. A vast majority of surveyed riders reported feeling safe on the system, citing more visible security officers and cleaner stations.

Unsafe situations on the light rail dropped by more than 50% over the last year.

Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa all contribute sales tax to Valley Metro, which also receives federal funding and raises about $6 million annually from its $

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