Battles to fund State Route 347 improvements and pass a contentious state budget were hard fought but ultimately ended in victories.

After the friction that had some worried Arizona’s state government would face a shutdown July 1, Gov. Katie Hobbs said this afternoon she would sign the $17.6 billion bipartisan state budget after vetoing two earlier GOP proposals.

The final budget allocates $53.7 million for Maricopa’s lifeline highway.

“To know that this is the first time ever that the project has been funded fully is just thrilling and is very historic,” Mayor Nancy Smith told InMaricopa in response to the passage today.

She said the budget “speaks loudly to the will of Maricopa and its residents who want to ensure that this road gets as safe as possible.”

Fourteen years of exhaustive jockeying by various local and state departments has culminated in a FY2026 budget that gives SR 347:

• $41.4 million to construct the Riggs Road overpass
• $10.8 million for intersections at Casa Blanca and Cement Plant Roads
• $1.5 million in design costs to widen SR 347 between Interstate 10 and city limits

State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-Casa Grande) said she hopes to see the improvements begin sooner than later but warned the timeline would still move at the Arizona Department of Transportation’s pace.

“Just because the governor signs the budget doesn’t mean that the project automatically happens. We need to be on top of these agencies demanding deadlines and for them to meet those deadlines,” she told InMaricopa this morning. “But once we start that road in another year or two, God willing, we’ll start to see actual dirt moving.”

Her seatmate Rep. Chris Lopez (R-Casa Grande) called passing the budget “terrific” for the district “and for all of Arizona as well.”

Maricopa public safety, community programs also funded

Martinez admitted she and Lopez fielded criticism for passing a budget with “a lot of pork” but said the lawmakers acted in the best interest of their constituents.

“I have to represent all the people,” she said, even “the people who don’t even vote.”

“How could I look the people of Maricopa in the eye knowing that I had voted against that money? The budget isn’t perfect, but there are a lot of good things in there and you can see our fingerprints all over it,” she said.

Among the fingerprints: On top of securing nearly $54 million for SR 347, the Pinal County legislators also added significant funds to municipal police and fire departments, as well as some community organizations.

The budget slates $200,000 each to the Maricopa Police and Maricopa Fire/Medical Departments, $50,000 to post signs about illegal dumping in Hidden Valley and Thunderbird Farms, $200,000 for the Sun Corridor Boys & Girls Clubs and $100,000 for the Thunderbird Fire District.