Overview 

The City of Sedona Transportation Master Plan (TMP) includes a series of recommended strategies to address traffic congestion and mobility needs of residents, visitors and commuters. 

In June 2018, LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. was hired by the City to further develop these strategies and facilitate the creation of a transit implementation plan to serve the greater Sedona area including destinations throughout Oak Creek Canyon. Over the course of more than a year, the plan was developed. You may read the full report in the side bar to the right.

The plan's focus is:

1. Enhanced circulation service within Sedona city limits and the Village of Oak Creek.
2. Development of a visitor-oriented shuttle that would be extended to serve Oak Creek Canyon and forest trailheads within and surrounding the city.

Current status

City Council directed City staff to move forward with implementation steps for Phase One of the plan, knowing that any financial decision points will need to be brought back to City Council. However, with the rise in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for trailhead shuttles and micro transit was prioritized.

Trailhead shuttles and park and ride lots

The City deployed trailhead shuttles to the most popular trailheads, and is working to deploy microtransit to get people from their residences to locations in the network, and secure park and ride lots.

As of July 23, 2023, the shuttles have logged 416,028 passenger boardings since the service began on March 24, 2022, with 309,559 passenger boardings in fiscal year 2023 alone! Read the one-year report for statistics of its first year of operation.

Staff continues to work with the USFS and the Yavapai County Public Works department to impose additional parking restrictions on Dry Creek Road to Boynton Pass Rd. This measure is being pursued in an effort to improve public safety while increasing productivity on the Line 11 shuttle serving the Dry Creek Vista and Mescal trailheads.

The following park and ride lots and destinations are where locals and visitors alike can take the Trailhead Shuttles:

• Trailhead shuttles serving Cathedral Rock and Little Horse trailheads pick up from the North State Route (SR) 179 park and ride lot located at 1294 SR 179.
• Service to Soldier Pass and Dry Creek Vista trailheads operates from the Posse Grounds park and ride lot at 20 Carruth Drive in west Sedona.
• Service to Dry Creek Vista and Mescal trailheads from the West SR 89A Park and Ride (905 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. 

All trailhead shuttles normally run Thursday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, during peak visitation periods, the shuttles will run seven days a week. Shuttles will run frequently throughout the day (every 15 to 45 minutes).

During periods when the shuttles are running, the parking lots at the Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass trailheads will be closed, however Dry Creek and Little Horse trailheads will remain open for parking. All visitors are asked to use the shuttle to access these trailheads.

For more details on routes, frequency and more, visit at www.sedonashuttle.com.

Note: the Ranger Station is no longer being considered as a possible park and ride location.

Microtransit

The vehicle distributor recently notified staff that the production slot for the city’s five vehicles is now delayed to the first or second quarter of calendar year 2024, and staff will be able to determine the launch date once the OEM and distributor can provide an accurate vehicle delivery date. 

Transit Maintenance & Operations Facility

The City received a preliminary grant award of $720,000 in federal funding assistance for the design and engineering of the transit maintenance and operations facility, with funding expected to be received in June. 

The site selection and NEPA analysis has been completed with the best location identified as the wastewater treatment plant. Staff has finalized the draft RFQ to solicit a firm to begin the design and engineering of the facility, which has been sent to ADOT and FTA Region 9 for review prior to publishing the procurement.  

It is anticipated that the final design and engineering of the facility will be completed late 2024 and construction could begin in 2025 - funding permitting.

Ride Exchange mobility hub

A conceptual design of a mobility hub, where people will be able to change bus routes or exchange one mode of transportation for another (example: transit --> bike), will be complete in fiscal year 2023 for the property at 215 State Route 89a. However, final design and engineering will be delayed pending future decisions regarding transit operations.

This will not function as a park and ride lot, but as a route exchange. 

Other information

After seeing public support in the annual budget survey, Council also approved the extension of the half-cent transportation sales tax past its current expiration as a funding source for transit in the future.