Arizona Senate passes bills to improve state transport routes

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(The Center Square) - The sponsor of Arizona bills aimed at improving transportation routes sees economic opportunity down the road after their recent passage in the state Senate.

"These projects address real pressure points on our highways, keep traffic moving, and support the continued growth of communities across Arizona," said Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, answering The Center Square's questions by email.

 "Transportation is about safety, mobility and economic opportunity," said Rogers, who sponsored Senate Bills 1062, 1063 and 1064. The Senate approved all three last week, and they have gone to the House for consideration.

SB 1062 passed along party lines, with four state senators not voting. SB 1063 and SB 1064 passed 18 to 9, with three state senators not voting. Only one Democrat voted in favor of these two bills: Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe.

SB 1062 provides $1 million from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to help with upgrades along Route 60 and Superstition Mountain Drive. Some of the funds will be used to put in a “left turn lane and other intersection improvements.”

Rogers told The Center Square by email that “US 60 and Superstition Mountain Drive is the #1 safety concern for the Gold Canyon community.”

“This area has seen explosive residential growth and continues to be a regional choke point affecting daily commercial and freight traffic in and out of the Phoenix metro area,” she said.

The state senator added that “this specific intersection has seen multiple traffic accidents.”

“This intersection also affects emergency response and regional traffic surges especially during the 10-week Renaissance Festival which draws over 300,000 visitors,” she noted.

Rogers said the Arizona Board of Transportation has already approved the “design costs for these improvements.”

“The bill funds the costs that ADOT has estimated the improvements will cost,” she said.

When this transportation project is complete, Rogers told The Center Square that “drivers can expect a much safer experience by adding the additional lane and extending the stacking of both lanes to accommodate more vehicles.”

SB 1063 allocates $11.1 million for Arizona’s general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to improve U.S. Route 70 between Mile Post 255 and Mile Post 301.

Rogers provided The Center Square with a letter from the San Carlos Apache Tribe’s chairman, Terry Rambler, addressed to the Arizona Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Committee members. The tribe sent the letter in January.

The letter said that between Oct. 15, 2012, and Aug. 31, 2024, Route 70 saw “55 fatal accidents and 549 accidents with injuries.”

“This may appear as a relatively small number when compared to Maricopa County; yet, for our small, isolated, rural population, this number presents devastating impacts – on average, one working family member of our Tribe often supports 3 generations, up to 10 to 12 people,” the letter said.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe has over 17,500 members, according to the letter.

The $11.1 million estimate is based on a state Department of Transportation planning expert's estimate, the letter said. The most expensive part of the overall estimation will be creating a frontage road, which is estimated to cost $4.5 million.  

SB 1064 allocates $3 million from Arizona’s general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to help the city of Flagstaff with improvements along U.S. Route 66 between Interstate 40 and Milton Road.

The bill says the Arizona Department of Transportation, before or on Sept. 15, needs to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Flagstaff to help “design and construct the improvements along U.S. Route 66.”

Flagstaff must receive this money on or before Nov. 1, SB 1064 says.