PHOENIX — ASU sophomore Moriah Humphrey wipes the sweat from her face as she walks across the sidewalks to reach her bus stop every weekend. The soles of her shoes stick to the hot pavement and the unshaded bus stops offer little to no relief from the blazing sun.
Humphrey said the lack of shade at bus stops can make even a short wait in the heat exhausting, highlighting the importance of the city’s Shade Phoenix Plan, aiming to expand shade structures on streets, bus stops and schools.
“When the bus is 15 minutes late and you don’t have to stand in the sun, it’s a game changer to not have to worry about passing out if you forgot to bring water and had already been walking a mile or two,” Humphrey said.
The Shade Phoenix Plan aims to address the lack of shade at the bus stops by installing 81 new transit shade shelters.
Keyera Williams, the Public Information Officer for the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, has been closely involved in implementing the Shade Phoenix Plan.
Williams is proud of the city’s transit department prioritizing the unshaded bus stops, which led to shading “78% of bus stops.”
The city’s efforts extended beyond public transit, bringing shaded areas to schools and other community spaces. City officials extended the initiative to schools in order to provide students with safer and cooler spaces during outdoor activities.
The Phoenix Shade Plan established its first shade structure at Solano Elementary School in the Osborne School District.
In his first year as principal at Solano Elementary School, Felipe Carranza has already seen the difference the new shade structures make for students’ safety and comfort during outdoor activities.
“We’ve had fewer instances of students reporting feeling overheated or needing to visit the nurse due to the heat,” Carranza said. “The shade structure has helped us manage outdoor time more safely, particularly during the early fall and late spring months when temperatures still climb high.”
Encouraged by the positive feedback at Solano Elementary School, the Shade Phoenix Plan expanded its reach. In addition to Solano Elementary School, the Shade Phoenix Plan installed new shade structures in 77 other schools and school districts.
“We’ve heard that schools are thrilled to have additional shade on their campuses,” Williams said. “Educators have commented that students now have an extended window where they can play outside, which can be really positive on mental health and performance in the classroom.”
Although the plan was initiated less than a year ago, the initiative is already making significant changes and accomplishments that are impacting various parts of the city.
“An all-hands-on-deck approach has led to an additional 7,200 trees planted and 155 new shade structures constructed, an investment estimated at $16 million,” Williams said.
From unshaded bus stops to school playgrounds, the Shade Phoenix Plan is helping residents stay safer and more comfortable in Phoenix’s relentless heat.