Work has started on Tempe’s Downtown Refresh Project, which will enhance the Mill Avenue Streetscape from University Drive to Rio Salado Parkway. It’s the first renovation of its kind on Mill Avenue in about 40 years. Construction will take
place in multiple phases.

Find information for merchants here

Improvements:

Mill Avenue:

• Tree canopy
• Heat and drought tolerant species
• Sustainability focus
• Healthy existing Ficus trees will remain
• Some expanded tree planter areas
• New species being introduced:  Ghost Gum Eucalyptus, Tipu, Swan Hill Olive, Chinese Pistache
• Give seasonal color and blooms, variety of canopy shapes
• New electric and irrigation lines
• Irrigation supports trees and plants
• Electric supports special events like
• Festival of the Arts
• Second Sundays
• Holiday Events
• Installation of multi-space parking meters, not single parking meters (improves pedestrian areas)
• New bus shelters
• ADA paving, ramp and push button improvements
• New corner paving treatments
• Remove and replace mid-block pedestrian brick
• Lithomosaic accent paving for Tempe history storytelling
• Upgrade to include all directional pedestrian crossing 5th Street and Mill
  Avenue
• String lighting (Complete by August)
• Fourth Street west side of Mill Avenue
• Sixth Street, east & west sides of Mill Avenue
• Gateway monument signs
• Integration with new restaurants and façade treatments
• Restaurant patios will remain

5^th Street:

• Paving and possible reconfiguration of the city hall west side parking lot

• 5^th Street paving and striping re-fresh

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The construction schedule will accommodate planned events in downtown Tempe and Valley Metro schedules. During construction, access to Mill Avenue businesses will remain open.

Many of the Downtown Tempe renovations are part of the of the Refresh Tempe effort. The program aims to add and maintain Tempe amenities and infrastructure in order to improve quality of life for all community members.

These investments are made in alignment with the City Council's five Strategic Priorities and the city's Performance Measures.

Updates
Latest Updates - January 2025

Electrical conduit installation

It will be necessary to work outside of typical work hours to install electrical conduit for traffic signals. Every effort will be made to minimize the noise, but you may still hear jack hammering, back-up alarms, saw cutting and excavation equipment. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we install this important improvement.

• Work Area: North and south of the Mill Avenue and Seventh Street intersection
• Work Hours: 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Anticipated timeline: Jan. 9 - 24

All southbound vehicular and bicycle traffic will be prohibited from Fifth Street to University Drive.

Paver updates

Upcoming work on Mill Avenue will take place between University Drive and Sixth Street updating pavers, traffic signal infrastructure and bus stop pad installation. Every effort will be made to minimize the noise, but you may still hear jack
hammering, back-up alarms, saw cutting and excavation equipment.

Projected paver removal schedule
This next phase includes work against buildings near storefront entrances. However, business access will be maintained during business hours.

• University Drive to Seventh Street, (east side of Mill Avenue)
  • Work hours: 7 a.m.- 3 p.m.
  • Anticipated timeline: Dec. 9-mid-January
• University Drive to Seventh Street, (west side of Mill Avenue)
  • Work hours: 2 a.m. - 10 a.m.
  • Anticipated timeline: Dec. 30-end of January
• Seventh Street to Sixth Street, (east and west side of Mill Avenue)
  • Work hours: 2 a.m. - 10 a.m.
  • Anticipated timeline: End of January-mid-February

Pedestrian traffic will be routed around the project area to ensure safety and preserve the work site. Please be aware of barricades, pedestrian walkways, signage and detours. The project team is taking special consideration of Downtown Tempe's schedule of events to ensure coordination. Project dates and hours are subject to change due to weather, equipment or other unforeseen issues in the field. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we install these vital improvements.

Mill Avenue Streetscape: from Rio Salado Parkway to University Drive Public Process

The first round of outreach took place in August 2023. View the meeting presentation, meeting recording and public input summary.

Three meetings took place in January 2024. View the meeting presentation or meeting recording.