The Regional Transportation Authority is adjusting to the pandemic in order to complete its draft plans. The RTA is reporting good news on delivering on promises.

 Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

The Pima County Board of Supervisors’ passing of a tentative budget for fiscal year 2021 means its Transportation Department is a step closer to seeing more dollars for road repairs.

The increase from $37 million to $55 million in operational funding is the main difference compared with the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, said Ana Olivares, the department’s director.

Olivares described the additional funds as “wonderful” for the department as it continues improvements to the nearly 2,200 miles of roads under its jurisdiction.

“We’ll be working all over unincorporated Pima County,” she said.

“The pavement is a big portion of it,” Olivares said about the budget, “but we also have signs and signals and pavement markings and guardrail and cattle guards and responses to the public and studies to do every year. So, our budget covers all of those things on top of the actual repair and preservation of our roads.”

Olivares added that the department plans to address pavement conditions on 46 miles of collector and arterial roads as well as improvements to 127 miles of local roads within county subdivisions.

For the 2021 fiscal year, some of the approximately 43 different sections of major roads the department plans to tackle include:

  • River Road between Oracle and Shannon roads, which totals a little over 3 miles of road.
  • North La CaÃąada Drive from West Ina Road to West Calle Concordia, about 2ÂŊ miles of road.
  • Swan Road from Sunrise Drive to Camino De Oro, a quarter-mile stretch of road rated as the worst on the list.
  • Mission Road, near Helmet Peak Road and Twin Buttes Road, more than 3 miles of repairs.

The Transportation Department prepared a 14-page list of various subdivisions that will see some attention from road crews.

Crews will work on multiple roads throughout the subdivisions instead of only addressing a single section, according to Olivares.

“It’s not practical to do one road in one neighborhood one year and then do it again. So, the worst-rated road triggers that subdivision to be worked on,” Olivares said.

The department identified the worst roads using a pavement condition index, a measure of the present condition of the pavement based mainly on the distress and structural integrity of the surface, according to the American Society for Testing and Materials.

The department says it follows the society’s standards.

“We want to make sure an entire subdivision or neighborhood gets treated. So that’s how the local roads will be done,” Olivares said.

“The collectors and arterials, they’re chosen by the best return on investment. Our program says, ‘Now’s the time to invest in these. Do this work on them.’”

Motorists can also expect county crews to work on capital projects later in the fiscal year, including plans for North Kolb Road from East Sunrise Drive to Sabino Canyon Road.

“As we look into the future, we’re looking at (the budget) as not only just pavement repairs or capacity improvements, but using any new and upcoming technology to help us move traffic,” Olivares said.

“By making modifications on a signal, establishing and creating an app that will guide people and let them know when its congested, and by being able to encourage and direct traffic in different ways to make use of all of our existing roads to their full capacity.”

Clear highways for Memorial Day weekend

There will be no construction or maintenance closures along Arizona highways during the Memorial Day weekend.

This schedule is in effect through Monday night to limit impacts to weekend travel.

“While no full construction closures are scheduled, drivers should prepare to slow down and merge safely when approaching and traveling through existing work zones,” the Arizona Department of Transportation said.

“Motorists also should pack extra drinking water and other supplies in case an unscheduled closure occurs.”

Scheduled Pima County road projects

Road crews will continue work on North Cortaro Road from West Ina Road to West Hot Sand Drive.

The work continues until Friday and consists of setting traffic control, lowering utilities, repaving and striping work. Crews will work from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Crews are scheduled to work on North Camino De Oeste from West El Camino Del Cerro to West Sunset Road starting Tuesday through July 15.

The work will consist of setting traffic control, lowering utilities, milling, repaving and final striping work. Crews will also work from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Colossal Cave, Wentworth Road to close at I-10

A bridge deck replacement project will close Colossal Cave Road at Interstate 10 for about two months starting this week.

Motorists should expect restrictions and delays between May 27 and June 1 at Arizona 83 due to the project.

Ramps will remain open, but motorists will not be able to cross I-10. Motorists should use Houghton Road or Arizona 83 as alternate routes.

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Contact Star reporter Shaq Davis at 573-4218 or sdavis@tucson.com

On Twitter: @ShaqDavis1