PHOENIX — Millions of federal dollars have been awarded to infrastructure projects across the U.S., but Arizona is not among them.
The Wild Horse Pass Corridor projectwas hoping to get hundreds of millions to improve I-10.
The Arizona Department of Transportation now says they’ll look for the rest of the needed funding elsewhere.
“I always check traffic before I go,” said Candra, a Coolidge resident.
When Candra has to make the trip up to the Valley on I-10 from her home in Coolidge – she dreads it.
She knows that a minor fender-bender ahead of her, could back up the two lanes for miles, anywhere from Casa Grande to Loop 202 in Phoenix.
”Hopefully you got some food and water because you’re going to be there for a while,” said Candra laughing about how bad the traffic can get.
In early January, that stretch of highway was the site of a deadly crash that took the lives of five people, including Andrew Standifird, a groom-to-be, and father of three.
”That road from Casa Grande to Riggs Road is a death trap,” said Andrew’s mother, Sarah.
Tony Bradley with the Arizona Trucking Association says the known bottleneck between Tucson and Phoenix has been a safety and logistical concern for professional drivers.
”When that backup creates congestion, slows works down, slows delivery, it goes through the entire supply chain,” he said.
The Wild Horse Pass Corridor is slated to improve the 26 miles stretch of I-10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande.
Those who live in Casa Grande know the challenges of traveling the narrow stretch of I-10 all too well. Mayor Craig McFarland said the highway improvements “need to be done like yesterday,” but losing the federal funding “doesn’t mean we’ll give up.”
He saidSB1065 claims to allocate an additional $300 million from the state with a provision that if federal funding for the project is granted, the state will be reimbursed the money.
That bill passed out of committee on Monday.
The nearly $1 billion project was able to secure most of the state and local funds which, according to ADOT is $640 million.
The US Department of Transportation announced this week that over $1 billion in grant money will go to infrastructure improvement projects in six cities.
Arizona is not among them.
ADOT told ABC15 they haven’t received an official response from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A spokesperson for ADOT said Tuesday, “Our understanding is the U.S. Department of Transportation has provided a set of recommendations to Congress.”
ADOT also plans on reapplying for the grant this year.
“In the meantime, ADOT is moving forward with improvements to enhance safety, reduce congestion and decrease travel times on I-10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande. The first item on the list of improvements along the 26-mile corridor is to replace Gila River bridges. Construction is expected to begin later this year,” wrote Luis Lopez with ADOT.