In 2015, the city of Phoenix approved Transportation 2050, a $31.5 billion, 35-year transportation program dependent on a 0.7 percent sales tax running from 2016 through 2050.

Now the first signs of improvement are being unveiled, and that includes a pub crawl this Friday night with VIPs like the mayor and vice mayor and City Council members.

So what is going on?

And is this party atmosphere indicative of the overall progress of the multibillion-dollar plan? We talked to Maria Hyatt, the city’s transportation director, who gave us a better handle on the progress behind some of these public relations events.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This headline and story has been modified to correct the type of funding that is paying for Transportation 2050.