Title
Consideration of Citizen Petition Submitted by Reverend Jarrett Maupin, Jr. - District 8
Description
This report provides the City Council with information in response to a citizen petition submitted by Reverend Jarrett Maupin, Jr. at the October 15, 2025, Formal City Council meeting regarding a request to rename the 7th Street Bridge from Jefferson Street to Lincoln Street, Attachment A.
Report
Summary
On October 15, 2025, pursuant to Chapter IV, Section 22 of the Phoenix City Charter, Reverend Jarrett Maupin, Jr. submitted a citizen petition to request the City of Phoenix to deliberate and enact, within 15 days, a resolution, ordinance or measure to redesignate the 7th Street Bridge.
The Street Transportation Department is responsible for local bridges, which are City-owned infrastructure. The department's Bridge and Dam Safety group ensures safe operation of the structure through proper inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation. This program manages 290 bridges around the City. While the department has a procedure for ceremonial signs, it does not have a procedure for ceremonial renaming of local bridge infrastructure.
Options for Council Action
A. Accept the petition.
B. Reject the petition.
C. Refer to the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee for further study and consideration.
Staff recommends that the citizen petition be rejected, as the current Ceremonial Sign Procedure only applies to the unofficial renaming of public streets. Ceremonial signs may be installed along streets and/or at intersections as part of existing street sign infrastructure. In 2020, the Street Transportation Department developed the Ceremonial Sign Procedures (CSP), incorporating feedback from all City Council offices at that time. The CSP outlines the process, criteria, and design standards for ceremonial naming within the public right-of-way. As part of the process, the requesting party must sign a letter of agreement and is responsible for covering all associated costs related to the installation of ceremonial signage.
City staff did not identify any vehicle bridges that have been ceremonially named within the City. However, one pedestrian bridge was renamed in 2012. The Isaac Pedestrian Bridge, located over McDowell Road east of 35th Avenue, was renamed the Ed Pastor Pedestrian Bridge. Originally constructed in 2008 as a Percent for the Arts Project, the bridge was designed by artist Rosemary Lonewolf to connect elementary school students who were walking across McDowell Road to their school. The 2012 renaming effort was supported by then Councilman Tom Simplot, the Office of Arts and Culture, and the Heritage Commission, all of whom recommended the name change to the City Council. This initiative predated the adoption of the more comprehensive CSP, which was established in response to multiple prior efforts to rename portions of the public right-of-way.
Location
7th Street Bridge, between Jefferson Street and Lincoln Street
Council District: 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by City Manager Jeffrey Barton and the Street Transportation Department.