The Maricopa County Regional Trail System is a collection of trail corridors under the jurisdiction and control of many different agencies. Maricopa County has identified the Sun Circle and Maricopa Trails as its highest priorities for completion. At any time, should the opportunity arise, lower priority segments may be developed. The County’s priority designation may or may not coincide with the priorities of any agency whose trails have been identified as components of the regional system.

In step with other organizations, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (the Valley’s regional public-private economic development organization) published a comprehensive 10-year economic development strategy that codified its change in direction to quality economic development in aerospace, bio-industry, advanced business and financial services, technology, and software. In early 2004, the Governor’s Council on Innovation and Technology issued Building Arizona’s Knowledge-Based Economy with scores of recommendations on venture capital, higher education, collaboration, workforce development, and other topics. Separately, each of these items would have been notable. Taken together, they demonstrate a strong commitment to the growth of a knowledge economy and to the multifaceted approaches needed to develop it.