Arizona streets will be getting a major facelift as another $75 million in federal funding will be poured into four projects across the state.
The grant is one of four awarded to Arizona as part of a $2.2 billion infusion of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding that continues to help rebuild Arizona.
ABC15 had a one-on-one with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about the project.
“You can certainly say it’s been a long time coming,” he said.
Buttigieg says this much needed funding in our state is part of the RAISE program.
“Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure for Sustainability and Equity. It’s discretionary funding that we can use to support great applications coming in from communities from every part of the U.S.”
Adding this is part of the effort to modernize transportation and improve safety on the roads.
“What we have right now is a change to take $2.2 billion and use it on projects around the country, 166 projects…like this fantastic vision right here in Phoenix,” he said.
Phoenix will be getting $25 million to build a bicycle, pedestrian bridge across the Rio Salado River along the 3rd Street alignment.
“This is the first bridge of its kind over the Rio Salado,” said the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
The city will also be adding solar pedestrian-scale lighting and pathway amenities between Central Avenue and 40th Street.
“The south Phoenix community, predominantly Black and Hispanic communities have dealt with underinvestment, being overburdened and underserved for decades,” Buttigieg told ABC15.
This includes lack of transportation services, but Buttigieg says this funding aims to change that.
Currently residents without cars in this neighborhood have no option but to walk and bike on high-speed, high-volume roads because there is no other way across.
“In this community one in five residents don’t have a car. This will be a great safe path across the river. It’s part of the Rio Salado, Rio Re-imagined vision,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego.
Adding it will also connect communities.
"His project unites multiple cities and tribal leaders, and it really is a project that brings together so many communities,” she added.
Mayor Gallego says the funding coming to the City of Phoenix doesn’t stop there.
“In partnership with the Department of Transportation we’re also $16 million for low emission, no emission buses,” said the Mayor of Phoenix.
Tucson will also be awarded $25 million to improve nearly one mile of 22nd street from Kino Parkway to Tucson Boulevard. That funding will also help replace an existing 1960s-era bridge with a new one over the Union Pacific Railroad and State Route 210.
“We’re using it to support visions that are going to lead to safer streets, or safer travel, cleaner travel or cleaner air,” added the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
The Colorado Indian River Tribes will get $25 million to rebuild Mohave Road for a roughly 10-mile stretch, and will include asphalt pavement and shoulders, street-lighting, and intersection turn lane improvements, with the hope of decreasing accidents in the area.
“Thanks to that infrastructure package, we have more funding to work with than ever,” Buttigieg told ABC15.
Lastly, $261,000 will go toward funding a study in Navajo County to improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure on a 16-mile stretch of SR-260, between US-60 and SR-73.
“Whether you just want to spend a little more of your day with your loved ones and a little less on your commute, these improvements are going to make a profound difference,” said the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation details how the following projects will benefit from RAISE awards:
- Southern Navajo County Regional Multimodal Planning Study – The Navajo County will receive $261,000 for this planning project to fund Navajo County’s regional multimodal study to improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure on the 16-mile segment of SR 260 between US 60 and SR 73 and the surrounding neighborhoods. The project will identify areas for improvement, determine adequate safety measures, and prepare pre-construction documents. It will also conduct community outreach, form a technical advisory committee, and develop a comprehensive plan. The study seeks to better understand the transportation needs of cyclists and pedestrians to improve safety in this underserved and disadvantaged community. Extensive public outreach to the community, including school students and officials, adjacent cities, the county, Santa Clara VTA, Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC), among others, has been completed and will continue through surveys, phone interviews and focus group meetings.
- Rio Reimagined: 3rd Street Rio Salado Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge – The City of Phoenix will receive $25 million to construct a bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Rio Salado River along the 3rd Street alignment and add low-emitting solar pedestrian-scale lighting and pathway amenities between Central Avenue and 40th Street. The bridge will connect the underserved South Phoenix community to transportation, housing, education and employment opportunities. According to the application, currently in the project area, residents without cars have no option but walk and bike om high-speed/high-volume roads. This project also increases access to the development area of the Arizona Fresh Del Rio and the future South Central LRT station.
- 22nd Street Revitalization Project – The City of Tucson will receive $25 million to improve approximately 0.85 miles of 22nd Street from Kino Parkway to Tucson Boulevard. The project replaces an existing 1960s-era bridge in poor condition with a new bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and State Route 210, expands 22nd Street from four lanes to six lanes with a divided median, and constructs a separate bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The new bridge will remove a freight bottleneck and eliminate weight restrictions and lengthy detour routes for freight, transit, school buses, and emergency medical services. It will eliminate the need for a transit user to travel west and north in order to go directly east; saving up to 30 minutes per trip. This will also speed up the movement of goods and could ultimately reduce shipping costs. The project provides an East-West connection between downtown Tucson and an underserved community. Broadband conduit will also be installed as part of the project for future expansion to reach the underserved community. Additionally, by providing more vertical clearance for the Class I railroad, the project will eliminate a bottleneck for freight movement and allow for future rail expansion at this rail hub.
- Mohave Road Reconstruction – Colorado Indian River Tribes will receive $25 million to reconstruct Mohave Road from State Route 95 south to Agnes Wilson Road for a length of approximately 10.50 miles, including asphalt pavement and shoulders, intersection turn lane improvements, streetlighting, and signage. This project has important connections to State Route 95, Interstate 10, and US 95. The project would correct safety deficiencies that have led to injury or fatal crashes at two of the six most dangerous intersections on Mohave Road. Within the 10.5-mile project limits over a three-year period from 2017-2019, there were 74 total crashes, 29 injury crashes and 44 property damage crashes. This project will improve the main road used by school buses, mail delivery, emergency services, and goods movement, and will improve access to social services, especially health care. This project is also innovative because it will support the planned deployment of broadband along the corridor, to reach this rural and historically disadvantaged community.
