We, the undersigned community and business leaders call on our Mayor, City Council, City Manager and Phoenix Streets Director to end the dangerous rush hour reverse driving lanes (aka the “suicide lanes”) on 7th Street between McDowell Road and Dunlap Avenue, and on 7th Avenue from approximately McDowell Road to Northern Avenue (together “the 7’s”). 

Since their inception in 1979 (7th Ave) and 1981 (7th St.) these rush hour reverse lanes have hurt connectivity among our neighborhoods and businesses and have led to dangerous cut-through traffic in our neighborhoods. The use of these lanes has contributed to the demise of many businesses along “the 7’s,” leaves thousands of drivers stressed and confused every day, and has not done an effective job of moving traffic as intended. It is not surprising that no other City in Arizona has decided to adopt the reversible lane concept and this unorthodox traffic condition is not used on any other street in our City. 

Killing the reverse rush hour lanes will help businesses along 7th Street and 7th Ave (many of which are very hard, if not impossible to access during key portions of the day) will make it a more enjoyable experience to drive, walk, and bike on the 7’s, and will make our communities safer. We ask that you immediately end the rush hour reverse lanes for these reasons, and keep the middle lane as a turn lane only throughout all times of the day.

Phoenix has also seen a large influx of multifamily housing along the 7’s as well as a revitalization of neighborhoods since the inception of these rush hour reverse lanes. Those of us who live on the 7’s or abutting them, find ourselves regularly avoiding them at all costs due to safety concerns from the high speeds these streets were unfortunately designed for.

The Rush Hour Reverse Lanes Hurt Local Businesses

Currently, on Monday through Friday from 6am to 9am, the reversible lane is used in the southbound direction and from 4pm to 6pm, it is used in the northbound direction. This means that left turns are legally prohibited during these hours on many (but not all) intersections. Even where left turn lanes are not legally prohibited, they are practically impossible because drivers are using the middle lane as a driving lane during these hours, which makes any left turn lane risky, and infuriating to those drivers who may believe that a left turn is not allowed. As a result, it is functionally impossible (if not illegal) for a driver to access businesses during key hours of the day. For example, many businesses on the east side of 7th Street and 7th Avenue suffer during the morning hours or can’t even open at all because their businesses are functionally inaccessible by car unless you’re traveling in that direction.

Furthermore, because of the complexity of the rules as to how the middle lane can be used and when, many people avoid 7th Avenue and 7th Street altogether out of safety concerns as mentioned. Good traffic rules are easily understood and are consistent with nearby roads and streets. The reversible rush hour lane rules are neither clear, nor consistent with any other street or road in Arizona. The confusion and concerns as to how the middle lane is used during these key times has led these lanes to be known as “suicide lanes” because many people find it suicide to actually drive in the middle lane during these hours given that a car in front of them may stop at any time to take a left (legally or illegally) – not to mention the many drivers that innocently and inadvertently get in the lane traveling the opposite direction only to encounter a car driving the wrong way. This means that many people just avoid 7th Ave and 7th Street altogether, which hurts local businesses.

Our local businesses on 7th Avenue and 7th Street have grown in recent years despite being stymied by the lack of connectivity. Getting rid of the rush hour reverse lanes will especially support accessibility to our local businesses.  

The Rush Hour Reverse Lanes Divide Communities

The rush hour reverse lanes were implemented in the early 1980s when the Phoenix Streets Department was focused on moving as many cars as possible, as fast as possible, from north Phoenix to Downtown without thought to the businesses and neighborhoods along the way. In many ways the 7’s act as a small, but confusing highway, and like a highway, this design and rules have made it difficult and unsafe to cross the street. It is challenging for communities and neighbors across the 7’s to connect, especially due to traffic regularly traveling 10-20 MPH above the posted speed limit (due to the street design) and the lack of safe mid-block pedestrian/cyclist crossing infrastructure. Phoenix Streets has also placed most bus stops along the 7’s mid-block, meaning that many people have to walk a half mile or more out of their way in many instances in extreme temperatures with no shade, just to safely cross the street. Many people call crossing the 7’s being similar to the game Frogger, and our high pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths seem to unfortunately corroborate this.

The Rush Hour Reverse Lanes Cause Cut-through Traffic through our Neighborhoods.

Because these lanes prohibit turns at major intersections during the day, drivers are not only encouraged to cut through neighborhoods at fast speeds, they are forced to do it. This means that traffic in our neighborhoods is increased and it isn’t safe for our kids or families to walk, bike or play in our neighborhoods. Ending the rush hour reverse lanes will keep more of the fast-moving traffic on major streets and out of our neighborhoods. Furthermore, AI-driven cars and AI-navigated ride shares do not understand the difficult rules of these lanes and therefore divert more cars to cut through our neighborhoods.

Therefore, to support our local businesses and neighborhoods, and promote public health and safety, we demand that you end the rush hour reverse lanes immediately. It’s time.

*Special thanks to Ed Hermes for putting together the majority of this copy, Nicole Rodriguez for never giving up, The Street Project Documentary for capturing part of my many-year journey to help make this much-needed change & all of the folks out there who are fighting for safer streets every day, especially in our under-served communities.