{"id":233152,"date":"2025-09-17T06:20:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T06:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/233152\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T06:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T06:20:10","slug":"reverse-lane-confusion-continues-as-city-of-phoenix-delays-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/233152\/","title":{"rendered":"Reverse lane confusion continues as city of Phoenix delays study"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 It\u2019s been four months since the city of Phoenix announced yet another study of the controversial reverse lanes on 7th Street and 7th Avenue<\/a>. But since that announcement, little progress has been made, and business owners say the delay is costing them.<\/p>\n

The middle lanes, which change direction during morning and evening rush hours, were designed to improve traffic flow. However, critics argue the system is confusing and dangerous, with unclear signage and frequent driver mistakes.<\/p>\n

City officials say they are still searching for an engineering team to conduct the study. It\u2019s a delay that\u2019s frustrating nearby businesses.<\/p>\n

Back in May, a group of business owners collected signatures and petitioned the city council<\/a> to eliminate the reverse lanes altogether. Since then, they\u2019ve heard nothing, prompting many to ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s the holdup?\u201d<\/p>\n

The last official traffic study on the reverse lanes was conducted in 2021. According to that data, there was no significant difference in the number of fatalities between traditional lanes and reverse lanes. Still, many drivers and business owners say the reverse lanes are more difficult and dangerous to navigate, especially for those unfamiliar with the traffic pattern changes.<\/p>\n

Despite the city\u2019s promise of a new, more comprehensive study announced in May, no engineering team has been hired yet. Once a firm is selected, the city says the contract will need to be cleared by the city Council before any work can begin, extending the delay even more.<\/p>\n

The reverse lanes have been debated in the Valley for decades. Supporters claim they ease traffic during peak hours, but many drivers and business owners say the signage is confusing and leads to near-misses and collisions.<\/p>\n

At All In One<\/a>, a clothing shop on 7th Avenue, owner Armon Mofrad said he sees the chaos daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust right now, I was taking a left, and two people came into the suicide lane. I had to swerve out of the way,\u201d Mofrad said.<\/p>\n

Inside the shop, Mofrad and his team help customers with fashion and style. \u201cThis is a one-stop shop,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can get whatever you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

But outside, the sounds of traffic confusion often interrupt their day. \u201cIt\u2019s bad seeing out the window \u2014 people honking, getting into accidents,\u201d Mofrad said. \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city of Phoenix originally announced the study in May, saying it would conduct a comprehensive review of the reverse lanes. But with no engineering firm hired and the city Council still needing to approve whoever is selected, it remains unclear when the study will even begin.<\/p>\n

Business owners said they remain hopeful that the city will act, not just to study the lanes, and finally make a decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like we have something good here,\u201d Mofrad said. \u201cWe just want people to be able to get here safely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until then, the team at All In One continues helping customers find their look while waiting for the city to find a solution.<\/p>\n

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