On Oct. 21, the Phoenix City Council approved the “Rio Salado District Policy Plan,” a policy framework that will guide land use and development decisions in the Rio Salado district of south Phoenix. The approval marks a key step in the city‑led, decade‑long Rio Reimagined effort to revitalize the area surrounding the Salt and Gila rivers.
According to AZFamily, the Rio Salado district stretches from Interstate 17 and Broadway Road on its north‑ and south‑ends, and from 19th Avenue to 32nd Street east‑to‑west. The corridor runs through a 20‑mile stretch that the city refers to as the Rio Salado corridor, a central focus of the broader Rio Reimagined initiative.
Mayor Kate Gallego said the plan reflects a “regional commitment to honor the river that gave life to our community” and that RIO PHX “sets the course to uplift this special riparian corridor as it winds through the heart of Phoenix.” The mayor added that the policy translates community enthusiasm and ideas into concrete guidelines to ensure new development delivers lasting opportunities for residents.
City Councilmember Anna Hernandez, whose district includes the Rio Salado area, highlighted the plan’s emphasis on equity. She noted that past city decisions “harmed the communities along the Rio Salado,” citing historic practices that excluded Black and Latino families, withheld basic infrastructure, and routed Interstate 17 through the neighborhoods. Hernandez said the new policy gives the city “a chance to do it differently” and pledged to hold officials accountable from “the first development deal to the last.”
The policy plan, released earlier this year, was open for public input before the council vote. Council members said the approved framework preserves the neighborhood’s history and character while ensuring that existing residents benefit from revitalization efforts. The plan outlines goals to bring new housing, businesses, job opportunities and recreation to the corridor, aligning with the larger Rio Reimagined vision of regional transformation.
With the policy plan now approved, the city can move toward implementation of specific projects, though no detailed timeline was provided in the source. Officials indicated that the next phase will involve translating the policy into development agreements and infrastructure upgrades that align with the outlined goals.
What’s next: Phoenix will begin the implementation phase of the Rio Salado District Policy Plan, working with developers, community groups and city agencies to translate the framework into concrete projects. Residents can expect further public meetings and updates as the city advances housing, business and recreational initiatives along the corridor.
Sources: azfamily.com
