Ridership on Valley Metro light rail soars during week of Super Bowl

PHOENIX — Valley Metro’s light rail saw an uptick in ridership of 60% during a weekend that saw Super Bowl LVII and the WM Phoenix Open in town.

About 250,000 people set foot on the rail system from Feb. 4-5 and Feb. 9-12.

“Our accessible and efficient light rail system met the needs of tens of thousands of residents and visitors this past week, and along the way showcased how Phoenix’s continued investment in public transit supports our efforts to sustainably grow our city, create jobs and reduce our carbon footprint,” Mayor Kate Gallego said in a press release.

Valley Metro extended its hours to accommodate for the many Super Bowl events happening in town, especially in downtown Phoenix.

Trains ran until 2 a.m. during the weekend, an extension of three hours from the typical schedule.

More than 400 Valley Metro employees across various departments helped staff during the week, and 150 of those staff were present at stations and park-and-rides to answer questions.

“I am extremely proud of our entire Valley Metro team,” Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller said in the release.

“They have demonstrated their expertise in successfully and safely moving hundreds of thousands of people on light rail during four busy days of major Super Bowl events.”

Super Bowl LVII was held Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, with the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles.

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