State Pulls $12 Million From Hwy. 60
September 10, 2008
by Ted Lake teddlake@yahoo.com
Building a four-mile passing lane on U.S. 60 between the Pinto Valley Mine turnoff and the Top of the World was put on hold last week by the Arizona Department of Transportation because of the lack of monies from the federal government. The local Highway 60 work west of Miami, in which $12 million had been budgeted, was among six projects immediately shelved by the state, amounting to a total of $171 million.
In taking the action, ADOT said in a news release, “Federal in-actions to solve the nation’s transportation funding crisis has left the federal highway trust fund out of money. As a result the Arizona Department of Transportation is placing on hold new projects budgeted to use federal funds. While Congress is considering a proposed $8 billion dollar, one-year fix to the immediate crisis, long term solutions are vague.”
Other projects stalled include $107 million for widening U.S. 93 near the Hoover Dam, $10 million for the Interstate 17 interchange north of Camp Verde, $30 million for widening Arizona 85 north of Gila Bend, $8 million for widening U.S. 60 in the Wickenberg area, and $4 million in improvements in the Tucson area on Interstates 10 and 19.
Before last week’s announcement, seven bids for the local Hwy. 60 passing lane project had been opened and were being reviewed by the staff of ADOT. Those bids ranged from $9,200, 770 to $12,367,844. The apparent low bidder was Fisher Sand and Gravel Company doing business as Southwest Asphalt Paving in Tempe.
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