YOU'RE INVITED! DOWNTOWN LINKS RIBBON CUTTING CELEBRATION
The City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Vice Mayor and Ward 1 Council Member Lane Santa Cruz, the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Arts Foundation for Southern Arizona, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the Barraza family and the City’s Department of Transportation and Mobility invite the community to celebrate the completion of this major transportation milestone.
"This project has been a top priority for me and our Tucson community since my time representing Ward 1. Our residents have been incredibly patient and supportive as we’ve worked toward completing Downtown Links, and I am deeply grateful to the voters who chose to invest in Tucson's future”, said Mayor Regina Romero. "I am proud to deliver this project promised to voters, achieving our goal of diverting traffic from our downtown core and creating a safer environment for pedestrians and local patrons."
This event celebrates the completion of the Downtown Links Phase III West-End project. This project is part of the 2006 voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) plan and represents a significant investment in Tucson’s transportation infrastructure, designed to improve safety, mobility, and connectivity in and around downtown.
Downtown Links Ribbon Cutting
Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Downtown Links Deck Plaza
Parking is available at 9th Avenue/Church Avenue and
in the neighborhood north of the Deck Plaza.
The event will include performances by the Barbea Williams Performing Company, the folklorico and mariachi groups from Roskruge Bilingual K-8, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and dedication of the Sixth Street Underpass.
"Residents fought to keep the 9th Avenue Deck Plaza and the bike and pedestrian connections in this project, and their persistence paid off. Today with this final phase completed, people can walk and bike across the railroad safely. Downtown Links now connects people, not just places," said Vice Mayor and Ward 1 Council Member Lane Santa Cruz.
The Downtown Links Improvement Project began construction in August 2020 and represents a major infrastructure investment in the downtown area. The final phase of the project connects Barraza-Aviation Parkway to St. Mary’s Road and has been delivered in two segments. The eastern segment, extending from the new Macolvio Barraza Parkway from Broadway to Sixth Street, was completed in February 2023.
Beyond surface roadway improvements, the project includes several key infrastructure elements designed to enhance safety, connectivity, and flood protection. These improvements include an underground box culvert to help alleviate downtown flooding, a new overpass at Sixth Street, and an underpass at Sixth Street that removes the at-grade railroad crossing. Additional features include a new roadway, a deck plaza, and expanded bicycle and pedestrian facilities that support multimodal transportation and downtown revitalization.
About the Regional Transportation Authority
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) helps fund, plan, and build transportation projects across Pima County. Voters approved a 20-year $2.67 billion regional transportation plan on March 10, 2026, along with a half-cent sales tax to fund it. This new plan will invest in roads, public transit, safety improvements, and other transportation projects to help people get around safely, reliably, and efficiently. For more information, visit RTAmobility.com.
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