During its Feb. 11 meeting, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a grant agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to accept a $19.5 million Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant.
The funding will assist with the engineering and construction of flood mitigation improvements on Highway 89, with the grant agreement approved by the county on behalf of the Flood Control District, which will be responsible for implementing the projects.
During the Pipeline Fire postwildfire flooding events of 2022, Highway 89 was closed 13 times for numerous hours due to flood impacts.
Highway 89, a key transportation artery to the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands, is one of two north-south transportation corridors in northern Arizona. Many people living on the Navajo Nation are employed in cities and towns accessed by Highway 89, in addition to the access it provides to many services such as healthcare.
鈥淐losures to Highway 89 are not just an inconvenience,鈥� said Judy Begay, Coconino County District 4 supervisor and chair of the board. 鈥淭hey create a barrier to employment, health and safety by forcing people to drive extra hours around the Grand Canyon or Hopi lands to get to work and appointments -- which has resulted in a loss of employment for some residents.鈥�
The highway is also integral to the region鈥檚 tourism economy, as it serves as a transportation corridor to more than six million annual visitors to Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Wave, Horseshoe Bend and other national monuments in the area.
鈥淗ighway 89 is too important to leave unmitigated,鈥� said Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Flood Control District administrator. 鈥淭he economic impacts of doing nothing far outweighs this federal grant.鈥�
Through the PROTECT grant funds, the Flood Control District plans to pursue highway drainage improvements, including a highway crossing to convey floodwaters, and upsizing of current flood detention basins adjacent to Highway 89. With the grant agreement requiring a match of nearly $3.9 million, about $3.7聽million of the match is being provided by the Arizona State Transportation Board through an Arizona State Match Advantage for Rural Transportation (AZ SMART) grant and the remaining $191,880 is being provided by the Flood Control District.
鈥淭he cost of adequately responding to natural disasters like the 2022 Pipeline Fire quickly outpaces the financial capacity of local governments like Coconino County,鈥� said Patrice Horstman, Coconino County District 1 supervisor and board vice chair. 鈥淚t鈥檚 imperative for people to understand that without these federal funds, there is little that can be done.鈥�