Apache Junction inks agreement with Mesa

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

The cities of Apache Junction and Mesa will be joined by a fiber network as part of a regional effort to exchange transportation data.

The Apache Junction City Council voted unanimously May 5 on a consent agenda with other items to enter into an intergovernmental agreement for technology and related services with the city of Mesa.

The agreement between the cities proposes that two fiber strands originate at the intersection of Ironwood Drive and Elliot Road, extend through the Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant and terminate at the east tower at the East Mesa Service Yard using Mesa Department of Innovation and Technology fiber, Information Technology Director Doug Wirthgen wrote in a memo to council.

“The regional community network is a private wide area network connecting (Maricopa Association of Governments) member agencies to facilitate the exchange of transportation-related data throughout the MAG region. The (network) uses existing agency-owned fiber and wireless infrastructure and is managed by MAG at no cost for the benefit of the region,” he said.

Spanning 10,600 miles in central Arizona, MAG’s regional planning area and member agencies include 27 cities and towns, three Native nations, the Arizona Department of Transportation, all of Maricopa County, and parts of Pinal County, it states at https://azmag.gov/About-Us/About-MAG.

There is no cost to the city of Apache Junction for the fiber network, City Attorney Joel Stern said during a May 4 council work session.

“(T)he type of data that would be allowed to be crossing on the lines would be live traffic-camera feeds for traffic management and associated information,” he said.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.

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.