School of Sustainability Graduate Culminating Experiences

Public transportation is inherently sustainable, however more needs to be done to improve the infrastructure of a city and positively impact the livelihoods of those living in the transit service area. In the Phoenix Metropolitan area, Valley Metro begun sustainability action in 2011, however there have been a variety of challenges in accomplishing sustainability goals: a lack of sustainability knowledge in the agency, overly ambitious plans, restricted time and resources, and limited employee engagement. As a result, no plan has ever been completed. It has been almost five years since the last sustainability plan was finalized and it was time for Valley Metro to learn from the past and create new objectives. For a more successful 2019 plan, information on transit and local city sustainability programs was compiled and studied to better understand plan formations and goals in Arizona and around the country. A sustainability action team has been established to engage and inform employees in every division about sustainability. With research, an engagement plan, and the knowledge of a sustainability professional, Valley Metro will create an impactful plan with attainable goals for the next five years. A sound sustainability program for Phoenix Metropolitan’s public transportation provider will provide resilience to future environmental problems, increased awareness of sustainability throughout the area, and enhance the lives of the public for years to come.