ANNIVERSARY
project is in the design phase. The completion date is unknown. During last year’s session, Martinez procured $16 million for improvements within the city limits on SR 347 and 238 as part of a turnback agreement where ADOT will repair the roads and turn over control to Maricopa. Some of the work has already begun. The city is adding an additional $7.7 million, along with matching federal funds for the project, which will most notably include: • Adding a northbound lane from SR 238/ Smith-Enke Road to the northern city limits • An additional northbound acceleration lane that begins at Lakeview Drive • Rehabilitating existing pavement • Installing sidewalks • Adding an improved traffic signal at Lakeview Drive How the sausage is made As part of the turnback project, Martinez had originally secured $19 million in funding. However, the law specified the money could only be used on SR 347. When the city wanted to use some of that money for SR 238, Martinez had to resubmit the bill to get the language added to allow the change in scope. Unfortunately, the process involved sending the bill through appropriations, which meant Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, the transportation committee’s vice chair that year, was able to shave a few million dollars off that amount and force Martinez to send it elsewhere. Republicans are constantly looking to curry favor with activist groups like the Arizona Free Enterprise Group. Hoffman was no different. “He wanted to prove a point in front of Free Enterprise, who do not like me,” Martinez said. “He was showing off in front of Free Enterprise and the Cato Institute.” Hoffman, who outranked Martinez at the time, told her she could pick any community in the state to spend those dollars — except Maricopa. Legislators ended up spending the money on a project on the Gila River Indian Community. This political wrangling is a prime example of the hoops Maricopa’s representatives must jump through to make sure the city’s concerns are addressed in the state capital.
Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith lauded the efforts of Martinez and Shope. “We all know how important these improvements are not only to alleviate congestion but also to make these roads safer for our residents and visitors alike,” Smith said in a statement. “Everyone will benefit from these efforts for years to come, and we commend the work of our local representatives, who worked tirelessly to secure these funds. They introduced and shepherded the legislation and made these pieces their individual budget requests, fighting for them in the process, and they were 100% instrumental in getting these funds.” Maricopa Intergovernmental Affairs Director Katy Proctor also noted Democratic Arizona Rep. Keith Seaman’s staunch support of these critical projects: “We are very fortunate to be represented by legislators who support these critical infrastructure projects in our region.”
TJ Shope, Maricopa’s Republican state senator, ponied up $18 million from his own allotment for the intersections at Cement Plant Road and Casa Blanca. The design phase for the project is underway. Construction is slated to begin next fall with completion in the fall of 2025. The pavement rehabilitation will happen in the next five years and will cost $28 million with 94.3% coming from federal aid funds and the remaining 5.7% from the State Highway Fund. The planning is ongoing with construction to begin in 2026 with completion expected in the summer of 2027. Martinez spent $6 million on widening SR 347 between I-10 and Maricopa this year. The
“It takes time to go through and do the studies that are necessary, it takes time to do the planning that’s necessary, but even harder, it takes time to get the funding. That’s one of the biggest hangups that we have.” GREG BYERS ADOT ENGINEER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Short-term recommendations During a safety meeting earlier this year on SR 347, ADOT Division Director Brent Cain said ADOT’s assessment included determining a number of short-term recommendations that can take place between longer-term projects. “This is not the ultimate solution, but what we can do…now to help with the crashes that are out there,” Cain said. Cain said ADOT recommended several short-term solutions, including re-striping the road to add or extend turn lanes to “help with traffic capacity.” Other recommendations included speed enforcement by the Arizona
Department of Public Safety, installing additional signage, re-evaluating posted speed limits and installing median crossovers, a short roadway on the median that allows for U-turns in emergencies. However, State Engineer and Deputy Director Greg Byers pointed out these kinds of projects take resources. “None of this is happening very fast,” Byers said. “It takes time to go through and do the studies that are necessary, it takes time to do the planning that’s necessary, but even harder, it takes time to get the funding. That’s one of the biggest hangups that we have.”
OHM ON THE RANGE
ElectraMeccanica, Lucid, Polestar, Rivian and others have operations in the area, leading some to call Pinal County “the Detroit of electric vehicles.” A law in neighboring California requires all new vehicles sold in the state to run on alternative fuels, namely electricity. Arizona already rewards drivers for going electric. It is part of ADOT’s 2023 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Deployment Plan, which will use $76.5 million in federal funding
to install EV charging stations spaced no more than 50 miles apart on selected highways. Plans for the location or number of charging stations have yet to be announced. Maricopa City Council- member Henry Wade told InMaricopa he thinks adding more public charging stations in Maricopa is needed. “We’ve got a lot of electric vehicles driving around out there, so I think it would be a service to offer,” Wade said. “I believe there’s one or two (in town).”
Electric vehicles are gaining momentum in Arizona — and they’re making their way down to Maricopa. Amid a long list of pend- ing requests for improve- ments on State Route 347, the Arizona Department of Transportation is considering adding charging stations for electric vehicles along the highway. Metro Phoenix is a hub for battery-powered buggies — Tesla, Atlis Motor,
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InMaricopa.com | October 2023
October 2023 | InMaricopa.com
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