$680K sought from ADOT for two Apache Junction road projects

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

The city of Apache Junction, faced with increased construction costs for road and safety improvements on Winchester Road and for bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Delaware Drive, is seeking more than $680,000 in federal funds from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The Apache Junction City Council voted unanimously May 7 as part of a consent agenda with other items to approve intergovernmental agreements with ADOT for $333,671 to be used on Winchester Road from 29th Avenue to Southern Avenue and $354,067 for Delaware Drive from 16th Avenue to Broadway Avenue.

The city sought additional federal funds for road and safety improvements on Winchester Road — and for bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Delaware Drive — in 2023 because of construction-cost increases during design, Project Engineer Raquel Schatz said during an April 15 council work session.

“Recently, as we’re getting close to the 100% stage of these (Delaware Drive) design plans, it was brought to our attention that we were short construction funds because when we applied for these applications in 2019 and we get to 2023-24, the construction costs have obviously increased,” she said.

“So again, the same timeline as the Delaware project, it came to our attention by the ADOT consultant that we were in need of additional funds” for the Winchester project, Schatz said.

An estimated $427,691 in city funds will be used for the Delaware Drive project with an estimated $6,281,971 in federal funds. An estimated $406,096 in city funds will now be used for the Winchester Road project with an estimated $5,520,194 in federal funds, according to memos Schatz sent to the council.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.