How Tucson’s 2023 mayoral candidates want to address road infrastructure

Heading into this year’s Tucson mayoral race, the condition of the city's roads appears to be front of mind for voters.

Just ask Desiree Canez, who slows her commute when she reaches the intersection of Palo Verde Road and Valencia Road. The street is so bumpy, Canez said, that she has to pump her brakes to minimize damage to her truck.

It's a well-known issue, and incumbent Mayor Regina Romero said she has brought in millions of dollars for roads. But her opponents believe more needs to be done, and Canez said efforts by city workers did little to improve the conditions of the street.

That's left Canez to fend for herself as she tries to avoid damage to her car, but to little avail. She said she has spent over $5,000 in repairs and cannot afford anymore.

Romero touts millions of dollars slated for road improvements

Romero promised voters she would invest in the city’s roads and infrastructure when she was voted into the position in 2019.

“That was one of the issues that Tucsonans really cared about, and asked for investment of,” she said, adding how believes she delivered on those promises.

During her term, she led a successful campaign to fund road improvements with a half-cent sales tax for ten years, bringing $750 million for road projects. The measure, known as Proposition 411, passed in 2022 with 73% voting in favor.

Romero said $600 million from those funds will be used to pave and fix “every residential road in the city,” while $150 million will be used to make the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

But she doesn't have sole control over funding decisions.

As one of the seven votes on the city council, the mayor can vote to bring capital project funding requests to voters in the form of ballot measures. She also votes along with the city council on the annual budget, which appropriates transportation funds.

Longtime Tucson resident Jana Segal said the condition of Tucson’s streets did not worsen overnight and praised Romero's efforts.

“It is the result of decades of neglect due to lack of funds,” Segal said.

Segal applauded the development of Tucson’s transportation master plan, known as the Move Tucson Plan. It was developed during Romero’s term.

“What I love about the mayor’s thoughtful planning of our transportation infrastructure is that it included thoroughly researching various options and reaching out to the community via the Move Tucson Plan,” Segal said.

Segal also said she appreciated the opportunity for public input when developing the plan. She noted the city implemented a pilot program to test street design and safety features.

Her husband, cyclist Dan Stormont, said he has seen "marked improvements" since Romero took office.

Stormont noted changes including improvements to the pavement, street crossings, “calming structures” on Treat Ave, the creation of an urban bike route known as the Arcadia Bicycle Boulevard on the east side of Tucson, and the implementation of pedestrian-activated signals, also known as HAWKs. These signals allow pedestrians to cross the street safely in areas without a traffic signal.

Independent candidate wants to eliminate bus fares and prioritize filling potholes

Independent candidate Ed Ackerley said he believes the city should focus on repairing major streets, and eliminate free Sun Tran fares. The in May voted to keep those fares free until December.

“The current administration wants to plant one million trees,” he wrote in an email, referring to Romero’s Tucson Million Tree initiative. “Instead, let’s FILL ONE MILLION POTHOLES.”

Ackerley reiterated that road conditions are the primary complaint from constituents, after crime. He said as mayor, he would prioritize filling potholes, cleaning medians, and using bond funds to repave and repair streets.

He also said he supports delaying the construction of the 22nd Street bridge, a project to replace and widen the overpass connecting Kino Parkway to Interstate 10.

Ackerley also said he supported Tucson’s participation in the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees a transportation plan for Pima County approved by voters in 2006. The plan is funded by a 20-year half-cent tax, which is set to expire in 2026.

The subsequent plan, RTA Next, is currently being developed.

Tucson threatened to leave the Regional Transportation Authority in 2022, but decided to stay after a series of their demands were met. That included increased voting power and a commitment to solve a project funding gap caused by an increase in construction costs.

Republican candidate wants to prioritize vehicles over bicycles

Republican candidate Janet “JL” Wittenbraker said she wants to prioritize improving vehicular roads over promoting bike lanes around town.

“I like the bike lanes around town, but this would not be my primary focus, instead I will prioritize vehicular roads,” she wrote in an email.

She maintained that Tucson’s “infrastructure deficiencies,” like dilapidated and pothole-ridden roads, must be fixed. She noted that the current level of funding for road repair and maintenance is “insufficient.”

“Tucson’s infrastructure deficiencies are easily corrected by adequately funding the city transportation department, focusing on one street at a time to make meaningful improvements (less repairs, more repaving),” she wrote in an email.

Like Ackerley, Wittenbraker also supports participating in the next RTA Next. She said the plan is negotiated favorably for Tucson drivers.

Libertarian candidate Arthur Kerschen did not comment on his solutions for Tucson's road issues. He has said in the past his platform is based on minimal government.

Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republic’s coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tucson mayoral election 2023: Candidates want to fix the roads