REFERENCE TITLE: Interstate 11; environmental; engineering; study

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2601

Introduced by

Representatives Gress: Biasiucci, Carter P, Lopez, Martinez

AN ACT

Amending title 28, Chapter 20, Article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding Section 28-6902; relating to state highways and routes.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 28, chapter 20, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 28-6902, to read:

START_STATUTE28-6902. Interstate 11

A. Not later than fourteen days after the effective date of this section, the department shall formally request from the federal highway administration for segmentation of the interstate 11 project between the border between this state and Nevada and Casa Grande.

B. Not later than three months after federal approval of segmentation requested pursuant to subsection A of this section, the department shall conduct any tier 2 environmental and engineering study that is required for construction of interstate 11. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Legislative findings

The legislature finds that:

1. A pending lawsuit should not stall the entire Interstate 11 corridor. In 2022, conservation and community groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging the tier 1 environmental impact statement under the national environmental policy act, alleging insufficient analysis of impacts to sensitive desert lands and wildlife corridors in southern Arizona.

2. The lawsuit has unnecessarily frozen progress on the corridor statewide, even in areas not directly implicated by the lawsuit, delaying congestion relief, safety improvements and economic development.

3. Advancing the tier 2 study for the rest of the corridor is a lawful and practical solution. This advancement demonstrates independent utility, serves existing and projected transportation demand and can function regardless of future decisions on southern alignments.

4. The rest of the corridor is environmentally distinct from the contested portions of the corridor and does not raise the same land-use or protected-resource concerns at issue in the lawsuit.

5. Segmenting the project is consistent with federal highway administration precedent and long-standing national environmental policy act practice, allowing discrete projects to advance when the segments stand on separate merit.

6. Moving forward with tier 2 does not undermine the ongoing litigation. It simply ensures this state can continue responsible, incremental planning where legally permissible.

7. Interstate 11 is critical to Arizona's economic future, improving freight movement, supporting regional growth, enhancing interstate commerce and increasing safety for rapidly growing communities.