SAFFORD — On Friday, for the first time in more than a decade, Graham County played host to the Arizona Transportation Board.
Unfortunately, said Jenny Howard, few local representatives took advantage of having their voices heard.
“I’m a little disappointed at the public turnout,” Howard said. “We’ve got the Highway 70 issues, and the groups that lobbying for a four-lane highway or safety, and not one showed up. I’m a little disappointed.”
Howard represents Graham, Pinal and Gila counties on the board
The public did learn that ADOT has met with Freeport-McMoRan about U.S. Highway 191 between Safford and Clifton, and a roadway safety study will soon get underway. And Sean Wenham, Community Development manager for Freeport, told the board that Freeport is teaming with Empire for a commuter ride service from Safford to the Morenci Mine, with about 500 employees currently taking advantage of the service.
The board approved nine construction contracts — including a $1.2 million bridge deck overlay project on Interstate 10 just east of Willcox — while rejecting two that came in over bid.
Of concern to the board was a recent change by the Legislature to the AZ State Match Advantage for Rural Transportation Fund Program, also known as AZ Smart.
The goal was to open ADOT funding to more groups in rural communities, such as nonprofit organizations, but the legislation is actually making the application process more difficult for everyone.
“We were under the impression it was going to be simplified, with accepting that COGs (Councils of Governments) and NPOs (nonprofit organizations) to assist smaller rural communities and local governments to apply,” Howard said, “but they’ve complicated the other side of things to where it’s offsetting and more complicated than what it was.
“I truly hope that we can continue to receive applications from these communities,” she continued. “As a board we’re going to work together to make it as simple as possible, but we are under the statutes that regulate us. So we’re going to do the best we can to help these communities out. That’s what it’s there for, rural transportation.”
The next Transportation Board meeting will take place Friday, Sept. 20, in Sahuarita.
