PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs announced that the Greater Arizona Development Authority has granted funding for rural infrastructure projects for the first time since 2014 on Monday.
There was $1.4 million in funding provided by GADA and dispersed between the town of Superior, Apache County’s Escudilla Mountain Domestic Water Improvement District (DWID) and the city of Winslow for three different projects.
“When I reactivated GADA last year, I know it would become a vital resource for communities that have been overlooked,” Hobbs said in the announcement.
“These projects address critical infrastructure need while creating pathways to economic growth and community safety. Every Arizonan, regardless of their zip code, deserves reliable infrastructure that connects them to opportunity.”
GADA is a program that provides access to low-interest financing for the construction and development of essential community projects throughout rural Arizona. Between 1997 and 2014, it issued $574 million in bonds for 84 rural community projects. Its goal is to finance up to $60 million in projects within the next year.
What is the rural infrastructure that GADA invested in?
To receive funding for the projects, municipalities had to submit detailed applications that outlined their infrastructure needs, project plans as well as how the improvements would benefit their communities.
Most money went to the town of Superior, which was awarded $1.3 million for the Panther Bridge project. The bridge will not only enable residents get to work and school without relying on detour routes but also improve the town’s fire and emergency medical services response time.
Officials said the new bridge will enhance community safety and accessibility, while ensuring reliable emergency response times in all weather conditions.
Town of Superior, city of Winslow and Apache County all benefitting
Escudilla Mountain DWID received $40,000 in technical assistance for the engineering and design of a community standpipe in Apache County.
The project will make the community’s infrastructure more sustainable, according to David Knobbe, the chairman of Escudilla Mountain DWID.
“Our residents have worked together for years to address our water needs, and this funding provides a modern, long-term solution that will serve generations to come,” Knobbe said in the announcement.
The third project takes place in the city of Winslow, which received $100,000 in technical assistance for the preconstruction engineering and design of a levee.
Winslow’s city manager, David Coolige, said the project will make the land usable for industrial development.
“Currently, this valuable land sits on a floodplain,” Coolidge said. “This investment will transform unusable space into an economic engine for our community.”
