PIMA – It appears that a road to the new Pima High School will finally be constructed.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Pima Town Manager Vernon Batty told the Town Council that funding for the road requested by U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., has passed the Senate and is now waiting on the president’s signature.
“To recap, we have the $330,000 from the SRBC (Southwest Regional Border Commission) trough the Governor’s office. With this $1 million, that puts us at $1.3 million, basically. It’s a $2.8 million project,” Batty said.
He said the town can apply for a $700,000 grant from the Transportation Alternatives Program, which would be used for sidewalks, curbs and drainage; however, the grant doesn’t open until the fall.
He added that he’s “confident” he can find the remaining $800,000 to complete the project by the end of 2026.
Another issue is the new sewer line serving the school, which will follow the same path as the new road. Batty said he’s applied for a loan for the sewer project and he’s hoping the funding comes through to coordinate the two projects, in order to avoid tearing up new construction.
Ciscomani had originally introduced in 2025 the $1 million funding for the road to the Pima High School, as well as $1.9 million to Duncan for repairs to Main and Highs streets, and $1.2 million to Graham County for waterline improvements at the Fairgrounds. However, the funding request was cut during negotiations for a five-year Continuing Resolution.
He re-introduced the funding in this year’s Appropriations bills.
