The Regional Transportation Authority kicked off the new voter-approved RTA plan on Aug. 14 to commemorate the start of the first project of the plan.
“The RTA Board is grateful for the trust the community has placed in us to deliver a new era of transportation improvements. These investments in better roads, expanded transit services, and bicycle and pedestrian enhancements will help people across the metro region travel more safely and efficiently,” said Tom Murphy, Sahuarita Mayor and Chair of the RTA Board.
The event held at Pima Community College East Campus marked the inaugural project of the new RTA plan (RTA Next) and the first in the pavement rehabilitation element of the plan. Tucson Mayor and RTA Board Member Regina Romero and Tucson City Council Member Nikki Lee also gave remarks at the event.
Pavement rehabilitation was included as a new element in the plan and Irvington Road between Houghton and Kolb roads is the first roadway that will be fully repaved under the new RTA plan.
Regional Transportation Authority funding for pavement rehabilitation is reserved for the highly traveled arterial and collector roads across the region. Neighborhood streets are not eligible for RTA funding. Pavement reconstruction projects must have a design life that exceeds 10 years and include mandated ADA curb access ramp and other improvements.
RTA jurisdictions will select the eligible roadways within their respective boundaries.
The 20-year plan includes five elements:
- Roadway (multimodal) Corridor
- Pavement rehabilitation
- Transit
- Safety, ADA and Active Transportation
- Environmental
Pima County voters overwhelmingly approved the RTA plan in March. The ballot contained two questions for voter approval, Prop 418 to approve the plan and Prop 419 to approve the half-cent sales tax to fund the program for 20 years, both passed by roughly 60 percent.