What happened: Arizona’s transportation funding will fall $162.3 billion short of meeting its needs over the next 25 years, according to the state department of transportation’s (ADOT) final report “2050 Long Range Transportation Plan” released Oct. 20. ADOT Director Jennifer Toth acknowledged, “The unfortunate reality is that our state’s transportation needs greatly outweigh our future projected funding.”
Why It Matters: ADOT anticipates receiving $69.1 billion in revenue over the next 25 years—which includes local, state, and federal funding sources—while projected needs are estimated to total $231.4 billion. Without increased revenue the agency will have to prioritize preservation of existing infrastructure without improvements or modernization. Director Toth attributed this funding gap largely to increased construction costs from inflation. The last 25-year plan (2016-2040) estimated a $30.5 billion transportation funding gap.
What’s Next: Read the final report.