How Flagstaff Funds Improvements, Mitigation, Restoration, Safety, and Beautification
You undoubtedly wish that road and other infrastructure construction would come to an end. Nobody enjoys the inconvenience of the delays and noise that comes with these projects but do enjoy the results. I want to update you on some current and future infrastructure projects discussed at a recent capital improvements retreat.
The city maintains a multi-year capital improvements program (CIP) to adequately plan, finance, design, and implement construction. Capital improvements staff work closely with staff across the organization to coordinate these large projects with regular maintenance, ensure the budget is in place to fund them, funding is properly implemented, monitored, and reporting requirements are kept, the city communicates with the public, and each project is timed for the smallest disruption possible.
The following list is far from exhaustive, and many projects combine funding types. For instance, one upcoming capital project is the Downtown Mile Safety and Connectivity Project and includes Amtrak station platform improvements, two highway-rail grade crossing safety upgrades at Beaver and San Francisco Streets, two pedestrian underpasses at Route 66-Rio de Flag and Florence-Walnut, and a redesigned and reconstructed Milton Road underpass. The $69.6M project is funded as follows: federal grants $38M, city funding $13.47M, BNSF Railway $11.8M, ADOT $3M. Construction is expected in 2026-2028. A project I’m particularly excited about is the Butler Avenue Complete Street and includes separated bike lanes from Milton to Sawmill, protected intersections (bike and pedestrian safety) at Sawmill, Beaver, and San Francisco, and enhanced road crossings at Humphreys and O’Leary. This $12M project is paid for through a federal grant $9.6M and a state grant $2.4M. The construction is expected in 2026-2027.
The city has 14 active capital grants totaling $120M, including road improvements, flood mitigation, waterline restoration, water reclamation backup generators, and the airport snow removal equipment storage building. The city’s general fund CIP includes installing fiber throughout the community, building a STEAM center in Sunnyside, new fire station design, new chillers at the Jay Lively Center, and improvements at Citizen’s Cemetery. The library fund is paying for replacement windows at the library, the general operating bond funds will purchase FUTS and open space land acquisition, and the Prop 442 bond will fund the redevelopment of the city’s public housing. Highway User Revenue Fund dollars pay for sidewalk repairs, annual street maintenance, and minor transportation improvements. Streets and Transportation program improvements include dark sky lighting, La Plaza Vieja traffic calming, FUTS asphalt repair, safe routes to school improvements, FUTS trail construction, sidewalk infill program, and bike lane striping. BBB revenues will help to pay to replace part of the city hall lawn, public art—including on the Lone Tree overpass, replacement of the Heritage Square restrooms, Ponderosa Park reconstruction, new HVAC at Hal Jensen Recreation Center, Cheshire Park track and field, Continental regional park design, and Picture Canyon FUTS connection. Water services has many planned projects, including sewer line replacements, Meade Lane flood mitigation, wastewater plant roof replacement, drainage improvements, waterline replacements, and backup power projects.
Construction is an inconvenience, but the improved traffic flow, rail crossing safety, improved water infrastructure, new parks and FUTS connections, addition of a new fire station, flood mitigation, increased energy efficiency, and bike lanes are worth it. The city is appreciative of the state and federal grant funding we’ve received, and, as illustrated above, most of the critical projects that we all rely upon would be impossible without them.
Read the CIP five-year summary or review staff’s March 27 capital retreat presentation online, or watch the video of the retreat on the city’s YouTube channel.
This column appeared in the April 2025 edition of Flagstaff Business News.
