Select Development and Construction, Inc., will replace and reconstruct the existing two-lane road to a new three-lane roadway with paved shoulders/bicycle lanes, concrete curbs and sidewalks, and drainage improvements.  There will also be two art walls at the school entrance with tiles designed and created by the students.  The project also includes 2^nd grade pedestrian education and 4^th grade bicycle education for the students.

“The students have been asking for safer ways to get to school for years,” said Matt Zoll, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager.  The original grant application for Transportation Enhancement funds included letters from kids like Maha who wrote, “First, I think we can have a better and flatter street, so the kids can be safer on Romero Rd. Then, I think you should build a sidewalk on the dirt spot by the houses.”

Other students pointed out that the crosswalk needed to be fixed and that when it rained, children were walking through muddy puddles. The project addresses the concerns of children, parents, and drivers.  All of the work will take place within the existing transportation corridor on Romero Road.

“We are so pleased to award this contract and make Romero Road safer for all users, especially children going to school,” said Supervisor Sharon Bronson, District 3. “Families will have an easier time walking or bicycling to school, the library, or the community center. The bike lanes also connect to existing bike lanes on Wetmore Road, Ruthrauff Road, and Romero Road in the City of Tucson.

Money for the project comes from several federal funding sources (70%), Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) sales tax (20%), and County Highway Users Revenue Funds (10%). The total project bid is $994,011.24. Federal Transportation Enhancement funds in the amount of $463,384 will be used towards the construction and construction administration of the sidewalks and bike lanes portion of the work.

The construction kick off open house will take place on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with a presentation at 6:15 p.m. The event will be at the Homer Davis Elementary School Cafeteria, 4250 North Romero Road, Tucson.

Supervisors approved a $1.7 million planning and design contract to start the process of realigning Hughes Access Road. Ultimately, the $8 million project will relocate Hughes Access Road from Nogales Highway to Alvernon Way.

Relocating a roughly four-mile segment of the existing road approximately 2,500 feet to the south has several benefits that will help address two ongoing concerns: a lack of buffer space for Raytheon operations and an inability to expand.

Pima County has long recognized the important role Raytheon plays in the local economy and in 2012 purchased nearly 400 acres south of the facility to help address urban encroachment. More intervention is needed.

Simply put, there are too many drivers driving too close to existing operations that may be threatened by the high volume of public traffic. Moving the road alignment helps address that issue, while providing Raytheon additional flexibility to preserve or expand their programs in the future.

The project will improve access throughout the general area. It also will serve as the backbone for a new, 10-mile aerospace and defense parkway, while allowing for compatible development in a new potential aerospace and defense research and business park. Along with the construction will come significant improvements to the roadway, including turn lanes, cross culverts for low-flow drainage, channel drainage, signals, and seeding.

“Pima County remains committed to protecting Raytheon’s 10,000-plus existing jobs while also creating an overall environment that is attractive for new economic growth opportunities, whether for existing employers or for new ones,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Ramón Valadez.

In other action, the Board expressed support for the updated Tucson Airport Authority’s Master Plan. It has been clearly established that an international airport is a key driver in building economic development centers, with a recent University of Arizona Eller College study determining the airport supports 35,000 jobs in the community and has an economic impact of more than $3.2 billion.

The Authority has not only expressed its support for the Aerospace and Defense Corridor Initiative, but also for the County’s Economic Development Action Plan, which includes the protection and buffering of Raytheon.

The Board requested that the Federal Aviation Administration quickly approve the plan updates, including the expansion of a parallel runway and development of lands around the airport for suitable commercial, industrial, energy and specialty uses.

The Board agreed on a 4-1 vote to a series of actions outlined by County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, including continuing to allocate $5 million annually from the general fund, over and above what the Department of Transportation already sets aside for road maintenance.

The board also agreed to ask the Legislature to consider:

• Returning some or all of the $39 million in state-shared revenues swept from Pima County over the past decade to help shore up the state budget;
• Maintaining an existing one-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax currently earmarked for the cleanup of underground storage tanks, but steering it instead to pavement repair and maintenance;
• Raising the state gas tax by 10 cents to come into line with surrounding states. Arizona’s gasoline tax is 19 cents per gallon, which has remained the same since 1991.

The County Administrator commended the Board for its work to improve transportation. The Board last year steered $20 million into road repair, in addition to routine expenditures, by using fund balances and general fund monies. But even that significant investment addressed just 8 percent of the County’s overall road repair price tag, Huckelberry cautioned. Even though the County has spent $289 million on improving road capacity over the past five years, and has “done a good job of scrounging and getting every dollar we can,” he said maintenance issues remain thorny.

“We can work around the edges of this problem, but all we can do is put Band-Aids on things for the next couple years unless we confront our problems in a straightforward manner,” he said.

The Board also agreed to continue exploring any other revenue streams that might make sense. Supervisor Richard Elías noted that the same dollar of revenues in 1991 can now only buy 51 cents of highway improvements, given inflation. “It’s a difficult situation.”

While it’s clear there is no overnight fix, Supervisor Sharon Bronson said the conversation needs to begin. “If we don’t have that courage to start the conversation, we’re never going to solve the problem.”

To read the full report, please visit http://www.pima.gov/Administration/bd-transportation%20funding%20report.pdf.

In a new transportation funding report released Thursday, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry outlined a number of strategies that will help manage short-term needs, including a $5 million general fund appropriation in the coming budget year to target key areas for pavement preservation and maintenance, and a request that the Legislature return some or all of the state-shared gasoline tax revenues that were siphoned away from cities, towns and counties to balance the state budget.

But ultimately, he said, with jurisdictions throughout the nation facing similar funding challenges, it is going to take a combined effort at the national, state and local levels to come up with a long-term fix.

“There is no single recommendation that will significantly resolve our existing highway maintenance investment dilemma, let alone allow us to make the investments to prepare for future needs that will support economic vitality in the region, whether that is in air, transit or rail systems,” he said. “We need to focus on the problem using multiple strategies and continue to stress the need for long-term, stable and consistent funding for transportation.”

There are a number of reasons that transportation funding hasn’t kept up with demand:

• State gas tax: At 19 cents per gallon, which includes a penny for environmental remediation of underground storage tanks, the gas tax has not increased since 1991 and remains one of the lowest in the nation. Meanwhile, over that 22-year period, construction costs have increased by 96 percent. The same dollar of revenues in 1991 can now only buy 51 cents of highway improvements.
• Economic conditions. State-shared transportation revenues from the gas tax in 2012 were $44 million – lower than at any time dating back to 1999. People just aren’t filling up like they used to. They may be intentionally driving less to save money on high gasoline costs, which have doubled since 2005. Their vehicles are 20 percent more efficient than they were 10 years ago, which means they use less gas but cause just as much wear-and-tear on the roads.
• Fund sweeps. If the State Legislature had not swept shared transportation revenues to balance the budget, Pima County would have had $38 million more for highway maintenance and repair.

Pima County Supervisors recently have invested approximately $20 million in road repair, but that has taken care of only 10 percent of the problem. The County isn’t alone in trying to find answers to these challenges.

In Virginia, lawmakers are pushing a plan that would restructure the gas tax from a flat cents-per-gallon fee to a percentage of sales that would rise over time with inflation. As of July, Wyoming will increase its gas tax from 14 cents to 24 cents. Oregon is weighing per-mile fees for high-efficiency vehicles. It is a discussion taking place across the nation.

Among the additional steps inArizonathat can be taken in the near term to provide more revenues:

• The state can steer the one-cent gas tax allocation for underground storage tanks to pavement repair and maintenance, given regulatory and technological advances that should diminish the magnitude of the contamination problem;
• The state can increase the state gasoline tax by 10 cents to coincide with the 29.7-cents-per-gallon average gasoline tax of the surrounding states. It’s not popular. But it’s necessary.
• Ensure that any future funding initiative, such as the renewal of the Regional Transportation Authority tax, allocates a significant portion of the revenues to pavement preservation and repairs.

To read the report in its entirety, please visit http://www.pima.gov/Administration/bd-transportation%20funding%20report.pdf

Speakers at this event will include the Honorable Richard Elías, Pima County Supervisor, District 5, Master of Ceremonies; Peter Yucupicio, Chairman, Pascua Yaqui Tribe; Francisco Muñoz, Councilman/Treasurer; Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and Priscilla Cornelio, Director, Pima County Department of Transportation.

Camino de Oeste from Los Reales Road to Valencia Road was widened from a two-lane roadway to a three-lane section with a two-way left turn lane and six-foot-wide paved shoulders.  In addition, contractors installed a sidewalk along the west side of roadway, lighting, landscaping and minor drainage improvements.

This project was funded by Pascua Yaqui Tribe Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF) in the amount of $2.95 million.  Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is a partner in this project contributing approximately $55,000 for the construction of an access point to a planned TUSD facility.

The construction for this project started May 2012 and was completed March 2013.

For more information, contact Annabelle Valenzuela, Pima County Department of Transportation at (520) 740-6445.

Road closures on Alvernon Road and Contractor’s Way, March 25-April 12.

On Monday, March 25 through Friday, April 12, 2013, Pima County Department of Transportation along with their contractor, Granite Construction Company, will be installing two (2) miles of bike lanes along Alvernon Way/Contractor’s Way from Ajo Way to 29th Street.

Alvernon Way/Contractor’s Way from Ajo Way to Aviation Parkway (see attached map) will be closed for ten working days. Due to the narrow width of the roadway, a road closure in necessary to allow for milling and paving equipment. Crews will be milling the existing pavement and installing additional asphalt. The roadway will re-open at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2013.

Motorists are asked to take an alternate route. Message boards will be in place to direct traffic around the detour. Please approach the area with caution and obey all traffic control devices.

The Pima County Elections Department on Monday counted 566 ballots, wrapping up the last remaining batch of provisional ballots.

“I owe immense gratitude to the many dedicated poll workers and party observers who have shown such a commitment to the democratic process,” said Pima County Elections Director Brad Nelson. “And thanks, most of all, to the voters inPimaCountyfor their engagement in this election.”

The Pima County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a special meeting Nov. 26 at 9 a.m.,130 W. Congress St., to certify the election results.

For the latest results, please visit http://www.pima.gov/elections/results.htm.

Pima County Department of Transportation, Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and their contractor, KE&G, continue improvements on the Cortaro Farms Road/Magee Road: Thornydale Road to Oracle Road Improvement Project.

5-DAY CLOSURE ON MAGEE ROAD
Starting Monday, November 26, 2012, at 5:00 a.m., KE&G will close Magee Road at the Cortaro Farms/Shannon Road intersection. Crews will be installing the underground drainage system, constructing the intersection to its new configuration and preparing the intersection for final paving. Area traffic will be detoured west of the intersection to Thornydale Road. This closure is expected to last until November 30, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. Local access to the Fairway Terrace Condominiums and Casas Adobes Country Club Estates subdivisions on Magee will be provided.

SHANNON ROAD TO RE-OPEN MID-DECEMBER
Shannon Road north of the Cortaro Farms/Magee Road intersection will remain closed until mid-December 2012. Construction crews continue to install underground drainage and prepare for final paving.

RIVER PARK PEDESTRIAN PATH CLOSED THROUGH FEBRUARY 2013
The Cañada del Oro River Park pedestrian path at Magee Road will remain closed until February 2013. This closure is necessary so that crews can perform the installation of underground drainage and bridge construction activities in the area without jeopardizing the safety of pedestrian traffic.

All businesses will remain accessible during construction. Please approach these areas with caution and obey all traffic control devices. In the event of mechanical failure or inclement weather, the schedule is subject to change.

For more information, contact Annabelle Valenzuela, Community Relations, at (520) 740-6410 or visit the project website at http://roadprojects.pima.gov/CortaroMagee/.

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is the fiscal manager of the $2.1 billion plan approved by Pima County voters on May 16, 2006. The RTA Board is comprised of representatives from local jurisdictions in Pima County, including the cities of Tucson and South Tucson, Pima County, the towns of Marana, Oro Valley, and Sahuarita, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the Tohono O’odham Nation. A representative of the Arizona State Transportation Board also serves on the board. For more information at the RTA plan, visit www.RTAmobility.com or call (520) 770-0410.

The work involves replacement of a 46-foot section of sewer pipe.  Lane restrictions will include:

• The closure of eastbound Roger Road.  Use Wetmore Road as an alternative route.
• Westbound Roger Road has been reduced to one lane.

Please approach the area with caution and obey all message boards and traffic control devices.

Slide 1 of 5.
Damage to Silvebell Road after heavy monsooon on July 29,2012
Source: Pima CountySlide 2 of 5.
Damage to Silvebell Road after heavy monsooon on July 29,2012
Source: Pima CountySlide 3 of 5.
Embankment repair on Silverbell Road on August 1, 2012.
Source: Pima CountySlide 4 of 5.
Worker with the cables for a cathode corrosion protection and monitoring system on Silvervell Road on August 1, 2012.
Source: Pima CountySlide 5 of 5.
Rainfall totals for July 29, 2012, in Silverbell Road area as reported by Rainlog.org backyard rain guages.
Source: Rainlog.org and Pima County

Pima County Regional Flood Control District (RFCD) and the Department of Transportation Maintenance Operations Division joined forces to quickly assess and repair damage to Silverbell Road after Sunday’s extreme storm event. On July 29, 2012, Idle Hour Wash peak flow was 5,800 cubic feet per second, equal to a 100-year storm, according to RFCD evaluation of high water marks. Based on comments from neighbors and silt deposits, at least 600 feet of Silverbell Road was covered by flowing water.

Rain gauges upstream from Silverbell Road in the Idle Hour Wash watershed recorded 2.5 to 3.8 inches of rainfall in two to three hours, with most rainfall occurring in the first hour. It is the area’s most damaging storm since the floods of 1993.

The tremendous surge of water eroded the embankment and soil beneath Silverbell Road, approximately .9 miles north of Sunset Road. Pima County Sheriff Department immediately closed this section of Silverbell Road, between Sunset Road and Panorama Road. The road remains closed for repairs; however, local residents still have access to neighborhood streets. This section of Silverbell Road is expected to reopen by Wednesday, August 8. In the event of mechanical failure or inclement weather, the construction schedule is subject to change.

As the supporting soil washed out from beneath Silverbell Road, the pavement cracked and portions were washed out. In addition, Tucson Water lines were exposed. Before road repair work could begin, Tucson Water inspected its water lines and found no apparent damage. Pima County and its contractors have repaired the embankment and will install a new cut-off wall on the east side of the road. The wall, designed to protect the roadway from further erosion, will be approximately 300 feet long and up to eight feet deep. A concrete and cable erosion protection revetment will be added immediately downstream of the newly constructed cut-off wall to protect against future erosion.

The County will also install 600 feet of new pavement beginning this weekend. The road will be reopened to traffic after the paving is complete, but there will still be construction activity along the sides of the road, and the roadway will be subject to construction zone speed restrictions.

The estimated cost of repairing this section of Silverbell Road is $200,000. This does not include utility inspection or repair costs.

In addition, the County will repair Placita del Rio, a local street that also washed out during the storm. Placita del Rio has been temporarily filled in with dirt, so the street is open for local residents. The County will also install pipe culverts on Placita del Rio to allow future storm runoff to flow beneath the street.