ADOT shares its 25-year Long Range Transportation Plan with the public

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation shared its Long Range Transportation Plan with the public in a Wednesday announcement.

That plan outlined the next 25 years of Arizona’s roads, according to ADOT. Every five years, the plan is updated to provide more accurate predictions for motorists.

Essentially, the 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan shows a blueprint for the state’s future transportation system, ADOT said.

Although the plan doesn’t specify every future project there will be, it identifies general priorities that will guide transportation officials, ADOT said.

How did officials put the plan together?

Nearly 10,000 Arizonans helped to shape the plan, ADOT said. They spoke up during public meetings and shared their thoughts, which helped transportation officials hammer down their to-do list.

“Their input made it clear that ADOT’s top priority should be fixing roads and preserving and maintaining existing infrastructure, along with prioritizing highway projects that address growth and improve highways in rural areas,” ADOT said.

The 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan, which is updated every five years, projects future revenues and costs.

“It also points to anticipated transportation needs totaling $231 billion over that same 25-year period,” ADOT said.

What does the Long Range Transportation Plan mean for Arizona?

The plan also provides information on funding for future projects. For example, it outlines how funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed in Nov. 2021, will benefit Arizona. The bill, which is also known as the the INVEST in America Act, bookmarked around $550 billion for infrastructure projects around the country.

“The final plan includes a projection of $69 billion in transportation revenues, including state, federal and regional funds, between 2026 and 2050,” ADOT said.

Although the document was made public, it will be officially presented at the State Transportation Board’s Oct. 20 meeting in Yuma, ADOT said.