By Mary Goldmeer
Mail

The city of Goodyear is considering increasing traffic control permit fees, which could affect contractors and everyday residents.

The Goodyear City Council will discuss the proposed fee hikes during a meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at Goodyear City Hall, 1900 N. Civic Square.

The city's Traffic Control Permit program, which governs work in public rights-of-way, has seen a significant increase in demand. During the past five years, the number of permits issued has surged by 180%, placing a strain on the city’s ability to manage these requests.

As a result, city officials are proposing fee increases to cover rising administrative costs, improve management, and encourage the timely completion of construction projects.

The proposed fee increases would affect a variety of services related to traffic control. Key updates include:

• A new fee for traffic control permits: $264 per new permit application.
• Higher fees for road closures: For example, the fee for closing an arterial or major collector road would rise to $750 per direction during the day or $250 at night, with different rates depending on the time of day and type of road.
• Increased costs for lane and sidewalk restrictions: Closing bike lanes, traffic lanes, or sidewalks would incur higher fees, with different rates for major and minor roadways.

According to the Notice of Changes, adjustments are designed to better reflect the growing costs associated with managing roadwork in public rights of way and to mitigate the impacts these closures and restrictions have on the traveling public. Roadwork disruptions, such as lane closures or roadblocks, often cause delays for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

According to city officials, the fee increases are necessary to cover the growing administrative burden of reviewing and managing permits. The number of traffic control permits issued in Goodyear has increased dramatically in recent years, creating strain on city resources.

The proposed fees aim to ensure more timely completion of projects, reducing the length of disruptions.

While the new fees will primarily affect contractors and event organizers requesting permits, residents may still be impacted. They could experience longer road closures, higher costs for services related to roadwork, or disruptions from construction. However, the city hopes the fee increase will lead to quicker completion of work and fewer disruptions in the long run.

The city’s proposal aligns with fees used by neighboring cities like Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, and Tempe.

Residents are invited to attend the council meeting to share their thoughts on the proposed fee increases. Supporting reports and data on the proposed fees are available at Goodyear City Hall and the City Clerk’s office.

For information, contact the Goodyear Right-of-Way Management office at ROWmgt@goodyearaz.gov.