REFERENCE TITLE: appropriation; State Route 260; improvements

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2242

Introduced by

Representative Blackman

AN ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of transportation.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriation; department of transportation; State Route 260; safety and capacity improvements; annual report; exemption; delayed repeal

A. The sum of $175,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the department of transportation for design and construction of safety and capacity improvements to State Route 260 between milepost 200 and milepost 346. Monies appropriated by this section shall be allocated for the following projects:

1. $95,000,000 for widening the roadway and expansion of the passing lane to include widening to four lanes where feasible.

2. $35,000,000 for expansion of the shoulder to not less than five feet on each side of the roadway and modernization of guardrails.

3. $25,000,000 for mitigation efforts for strikes to wildlife, including fencing, crossings and wildlife detection systems.

4. $20,000,000 for upgrades to drainage, runoff control and slope stabilization.

B. The projects listed in subsection A of this section shall be prioritized based on the following criteria:

1. Crash and safety data.

2. Traffic volume and freight movement.

3. Rural emergency response and evacuation needs.

4. Local and regional economic impact.

5. Engineering feasibility.

C. On or before December 1, 2027 and each year thereafter, the department of transportation shall submit a report on projects listed in subsection A of this section regarding project schedules, expenditures and cost projections, safety improvements and crash-reduction data, environmental compliance updates and delays and any funding deficiencies to the chairperson of the house of representatives government committee, or its successor committee, the chairperson of the senate transportation, technology and missing children committee, or its successor committee, and the joint legislative budget committee and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.

D. The department of transportation shall maintain a public dashboard for each project listed in subsection A of this section showing each project's status, timeline and expenditures.

E. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations until June 30, 2036.

F. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2036.