The Pinal County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a $20 million commitment to the expansion of State Route 347, contingent on the state securing the remaining funds.
The pledge will be formally presented at the Arizona State Transportation Board meeting Friday in Yuma.
The vote passed 4-0, with Supervisor Mike Goodman absent but having pre-signed his approval. Supervisor Rich Vitiello (R-Maricopa), who has been working on the project since taking office in January, had put the measure on the agenda.
“There are roads that need to be built. This is one of them,” Vitiello told InMaricopa after the vote today. “We need to widen it.”
The project aims to widen SR 347 by adding one lane in each direction on the 15-mile span from Maricopa to Interstate 10. Additional improvements include widening existing bridges at Santa Rosa Wash, Santa Cruz Wash and the Gila River, as well as extending culverts and upgrading intersections at Casa Blanca Road, Borgia Road, Mammoth Way and Old Maricopa Road, according to an ADOT website dedicated to the corridor.
“The money comes from different funds,” said Vitiello. “The details of the $20 million will be worked out, but this is a commitment from Pinal County to contribute the local funds.”
Other funding sources for the project include a half-cent sales tax in Maricopa proposed last month. Mayor Nancy Smith and Maricopa City Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr both voiced their support for the initiative in Florence today. Smith stressed that Pinal County’s pledge aligns with broader regional efforts to secure expansion funding.
“Pinal County’s funds roll into the local contribution that we’ve been discussing and negotiating with ADOT to get 347 fully funded into this year’s ADOT Five-Year Plan,” Smith told InMaricopa. “That means the partnerships for 347 now include Pinal County, Maricopa County, Maricopa Association of Governments, state legislators, ADOT, the City of Maricopa and hopefully a federal grant.”
Knorr agreed, saying Pinal County’s support signals that the project is a regional priority.
“Their letter will be very helpful in our efforts to get the expansion funding necessary to complete the project,” she said by phone after the supervisors adjurned. “Their support really signifies that this is a regional issue that needs to be addressed, not just for Maricopa, but for the entire region.”
Past mayors and councils have advocated for the expansion of SR 347. A similar half-cent sales tax idea was proposed and failed in 2016. Vitiello emphasized that while previous efforts laid the groundwork, his relationship with Maricopa leaders allowed him to prioritize this in his new role in the county seat.
“This was something I was able to facilitate right away when I got into office,” he said, adding: “This was a team effort.”
Maricopa City Councilmember Vincent Manfredi was supportive but skeptical today.
“Unless I see it in the budget, it’s simply a promise right now,” said Manfredi. “You’ve got to wait.”
Knorr also noted that communities such as Casa Grande understand the importance of SR 347 when I-10 detours force them onto the highway, as seen during a major reroute Monday after four cars, including a Gila River police cruiser, piled up on that interstate at Riggs Road.
Vitiello will present the county’s $20 million idea at the Arizona State Transportation Board meeting in Yuma on Friday at 9 a.m. That office is located at 2243 E. Gila Ridge Road.
You can join the meeting online or calling in here.
Vincent Manfredi is an owner of InMaricopa.
