PRESCOTT - Planning for two new road corridors that would shift a portion of local traffic to the east of current tri-city highways appeared to gain Prescott City Council support this week.
At Tuesday's study session, the council considered entering a $538,552 contract with Civiltech Engineering Inc. for corridor planning for the Highway 169-to-Fain Road connector and the Chino Valley extension, which would link northern Chino Valley with Fain Road, via Great Western Drive.
Ultimately, the council placed approval of the contract on its consent agenda for next week's voting session. Appearance on the consent agenda usually indicates an action has full council support with no further discussion necessary.
The new connectors were recommendations in the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan, which CYMPO endorsed in 2006. The new corridors would provide an eastern alternative to ease the traffic burden on the area's two main state highways, 69 and 89.
Prescott Deputy City Manager Craig McConnell told the council he expects the two corridor studies to take about a year.
While the corridor studies would kick off the planning for the new routes, actual construction likely is still years in the future.
Most of the money for the corridor studies would come from the Federal Highway Administration, with the local governments responsible for a total of $134,660. Of that, Prescott would pay $49,824, while other CYMPO participants would be responsible for the remainder.
McConnell noted that while the two connectors in question both are outside of Prescott limits, "CYMPO acts as a region." He explained that some of CYMPO's projects are in Prescott, while others might be in unincorporated Yavapai County, Prescott Valley, or Chino Valley.
That explanation led to a question from Councilman Robert Luzius about why the Town of Dewey-Humboldt does not participate in the planning organization.
"It seems to me if we're doing highways and proposed highways (that impact Dewey-Humboldt)... it would be appropriate for them" to participate, Luzius said.
McConnell responded that CYMPO initially proposed including Dewey-Humboldt, but the relatively new community was not ready at the time.
Council members suggested that CYMPO should approach Dewey-Humboldt again about joining CYMPO.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008
Article comment by:
Dan S.
Here comes another big-ticket project that will go to the low bidder, and then have enormous cost over runs!
