A WINNING
PERFORMANCE
FY 2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT

Houghton Road
Bridge over Union
Pacific Railroad

A message from the Board Chair

2017 RTA Board

On the heels of the Regional Transportation Authority’s 10-year
anniversary of its 20-year regional transportation plan, the state
Auditor General conducted a required performance audit of the
first decade of plan implementation.

Tom Murphy, CHAIR
Mayor of Sahuarita
Tom Murphy

In April 2017, the completed audit shared that “the RTA plan partners are generally
delivering the projects as envisioned within budget and on schedule.”
The auditors commented that if current practices continue, it is likely that the plan
partners will be able to deliver the remaining projects within the time envisioned
by voters. More importantly, the auditors identified that “if anticipated revenues
fall short of projections” then the RTA has a plan in place to redirect other available
regional funds to supplement RTA project costs.
Overall, this marks a winning performance for the RTA and our region. We have
all worked together collaboratively since the development of the RTA plan. The
RTA Board and RTA members understand the importance of these strong working
relationships. In fact, as RTA Board members and members of the Regional Council
of Pima Association of Governments, which manages the RTA, we approved a
resolution in May 2017 and signed a pledge to celebrate our regional unity.

Satish Hiremath,
VICE CHAIR
Mayor of Oro Valley
Michael Hammond,
2nd VICE CHAIR
Arizona State
Transportation Board
Member
Peter Yucupicio
Vice Chairman of
Pascua Yaqui Tribe

We have less than a decade of projects to implement and we are committed to
delivering projects that we promised in 2006. In November 2017, we refunded
bonds to improve our cash balance and currently are operating on a pay-as-you go
basis. This gives us more flexibility to deliver priority projects that are shovel ready.

Edward Manuel
Chairman of Tohono
O’odham Nation

As part of the audit recommendations, we are fine-tuning our delivery and
reporting processes for added efficiencies and advanced reporting of our results
to the public. For more information
on the audit, please see page 9.

Jonathan Rothschild
Mayor of Tucson

What is the RTA?

The Regional Transportation Authority is the fiscal
manager of a 20-year regional transportation plan
approved by voters in May 2006. Projects in the fiscal
year 2006-2027 RTA plan are primarily implemented
by RTA members, including Pima County, the cities
of South Tucson and Tucson, the towns of Marana,
Oro Valley and Sahuarita, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the
Tohono O’odham Nation and the Arizona Department
of Transportation. Roadway, safety, transit,
environmental and economic vitality improvements
are made across the region to improve reliable and
safe mobility and to expand travel options. The RTA
is managed by Pima Association of Governments, the
region’s metropolitan planning organization, through
a memorandum of understanding. The RTA plan is
funded by a 20-year, half-cent countywide sales tax
also approved by voters in 2006.

We are encouraged by new business
developments across our region
that were triggered, in part, by
RTA transportation infrastructure
improvements.
Looking ahead, we will soon prepare
a timeline for a public process to
develop a second RTA plan that
expands upon the current plan’s
success and extends its funding
source. The current RTA plan expires
in fiscal year 2027 and we’ll need to
act before then to provide a smooth
transition to a future plan, a plan
that will further support a winning
performance for our growing region.
Tom Murphy, Sahuarita Mayor
RTA Board Chair

Ildefonso Green
Mayor of South Tucson
Ed Honea
Mayor of Marana
Ramón Valadez
Pima County Board
of Supervisors
________________
Farhad Moghimi
Executive Director of
the Regional
Transportation Authority

Airmen Memorial Bridge, linking Kolb Road and Sabino Canyon Road

2017 Citizens
Accountability
for Regional
Transportation
(CART) Committee
Amber Smith

Letter from the CART
Committee Chair
As chair of the Regional Transportation Authority’s
Citizens Accountability for Regional Transportation
(CART) Committee, it is my pleasure to convey to the
broader community that the Regional Transportation
Authority continues to perform as promised to the
voters of Pima County and has delivered 798 projects
through June 30, 2017.
These projects are improving the safety and
reliability of our transportation system through more
than 100 new bus pullouts, more than 50 signalized
pedestrian crossings, nearly 200 intersection
improvements, plus expanded evening and weekend
transit service, and widened or new roadways
that include new drainage features, sidewalks and
improved signal technology.
The RTA’s outstanding performance was further
acknowledged in the past year by the state Auditor
General as part of a 10-year audit of project delivery.
This performance is a testament to the foundation
of the RTA and the ongoing governance model
established early on that supports one vote per
member to achieve regional consensus and focus.
The leadership of the RTA Board has further ensured
public transparency and accountability for project
delivery and public involvement. The RTA continues
to be an effective model of regional collaboration
that is centered on moving our region forward.
The RTA thoroughly addresses questions presented
by our oversight committee and is always prepared
to give us updates on the status of project delivery
and finances. We look forward to another year of RTA
investment in our region’s transportation system and
economic vitality.
Amber Smith, 2017 Chair

Amber Smith
Armando Rios Jr.
Charles Mendonca
Chris Albright
David Doscher
David Heineking
Gerald Fayuant
Herman Lopez
James Barber
Joseph Oliva III
Kelle Maslyn
Kendall Elmer
M. Joe Yee
Pamela Traficanti
Roger Cracraft
Sami Hamed
Steve Huffman
Tom Bush
William Sheldon

2017 Technical
Management
Committee
Andrew Korchmaros
Bob Iannarino
Carmine DeBonis
Chet Davis
Chuck Huckelberry
Daryl Cole
Gilbert Davidson
Frank Thomson
Jamsheed Mehta
Jim Schoen
Kelly Udall
Michael Ortega
Paul Cella
Paul Keesler
Rod Lane
Roger Caldwell
Sixto Molina
Steve Shepherd
Tom Wilson
William Carroll

Signalized pedestrian crossing at Mary Ann
Cleveland Way and Kush Canyon Road

RTA Revenue Collection

				
FY 2006-17 RTA PROJECTS COMPLETED
		
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) revenue
				
collection during fiscal year 2016-17 improved
PLAN ELEMENT			
modestly, with total transaction privilege tax (halfROADWAY 		
cent sales tax) deposits of $76,492,995.55 received
from the State of Arizona, 1.95 percent greater than
Total Roadway		
36
the deposits received during fiscal year 2015-16.
SAFETY				
The RTA updates its long-range revenue forecast
every three years. In March 2017, the RTA received
an updated revenue forecast from the Economic
and Business Research Center of the University of
Arizona’s Eller College of Management. The updated
forecast projects that a total of $1.598 billion will
be collected by the RTA over the 20-year life of the
RTA plan through FY 2027. This forecast can be seen
at: http://www.rtamobility.com/documents/pdfs/
RTABOARD/2017/RTABoard-2017-05-25-Item-3jDFINAL-REPORT-RTA-2017-03-28.pdf

173

Elderly & Pedestrian		

145

Bus Pullouts		

113

Railroad Bridge		

12

Signal Technology		

72

Total Safety		

515

ENVIRONMENTAL
& ECONOMIC VITALITY				

Forecast prior to the recession of 2008, the expected
collections originally were $2.1 billion. To ensure that
all major projects in the RTA plan will be funded at
the levels shown in the 2006 voter-approved regional
transportation plan, the Regional Council of Pima
Association of Governments (PAG), which manages
the RTA, has dedicated to RTA projects other federal
and state funding sources appropriated for the region.

Greenways, Bikeways,
Pathways & Sidewalks		

148

Transportation-related
Critical Wildlife Linkages		

16

Total Environmental
& Economic Vitality		

164

TRANSIT				

RTA Plan Element Highlights

Weekday Evening

Roadway Element

21*

Weekday Service		

23

Bus Frequency &
Overcrowding Relief

The RTA and the City of Tucson held a ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the completion of the Kolb Road
Connection project (RTA Project No. 26), connecting
Sabino Canyon Road to Kolb Road, on Jan. 5, 2017. The
new corridor includes a four-lane roadway, sidewalks,
bike lanes, a new bridge over the Pantano Wash, a
new bridge over the old Vincent Mullins Landfill and
public art.
In February 2017, the city completed project
improvements to Silverbell Road, from Grant Road
to Goret Road, (RTA Project No. 5). This project
included drainage improvements, landscaping, a
raised median and widened the roadway to four
lanes. During February, Pima County celebrated the
completion of the Sunset Road bridge and new
three-lane roadway (RTA Project No. 8) with bike lanes
and multi-use paths. This project was completed in
time to provide relief to the public affected by the
reconstruction of the Ina Road interchange with
Interstate 10 (RTA No. 6).

Intersection		

9**

Park ‘n Ride Transit Centers		

*
**
***

7***

Neighborhood Circulator		

7

High Capacity Streetcar		

1

Express Service		

3

Special Needs		

3

Maintenance
Storage Facilities		

3

Total Transit		

77

Grand Total		

798

21 routes received weekday evening service,
fully implementing this service expansion
9 routes received overcrowding relief or expansion
Includes completed temporary lots

				
The second project for the widening of Grant
Road (RTA Project No. 18) began in early 2017
and includes widening between Stone and Park
avenues, a $14.5 million project. The full corridor
project, when completed, will run from Oracle
Road to Swan Road. Funded by the RTA, the
project is managed by the City of Tucson. Grant
is being widened to six lanes and will include
				 sidewalks, signalized crossings, bike lanes,
landscaping and drainage features. Indirect left
turns are being constructed at Stone and First
avenues. The first phase included the first indirect
left intersection and public art at Grant and Oracle.

On the far east side of Tucson, construction on
the Houghton Road bridge over the Union Pacific
Railroad started in March 2017 as part of the
Houghton Road widening project (RTA Project
No. 32). The city-managed project includes a
				 three-lane northbound bridge, which is expected
to be completed in the spring, and a three-lane
southbound bridge. When traffic is shifted off
the old bridge to the northbound bridge, the old
bridge will be demolished to make way for the new
southbound bridge. Nearly 12,000 vehicles cross
the bridge over the UPRR every day. When the first
new bridge is completed, new bat boxes on the
old bridge will be moved to the new structure to
				
encourage resident bats to migrate to the new site.
In October 2016, the RTA and City of Tucson marked
the completion of the widening of Houghton Road,
between Broadway Boulevard and 22nd Street, as
part of the Houghton Road corridor project. This
section includes a public art sculpture of horses,
known as Mare and Foal. Other improvements
include sidewalks, bike lanes, a multiuse path and
drainage.
In the northwest, construction on Tangerine Road
(RTA Project No. 1), between Twin Peaks Road and
La Cañada Drive is expected to be completed by
late summer 2018. The project, managed by the
Town of Marana, will eliminate the dip crossings
which are often impassible after storms, replacing
them with new drainage structures. The four-lane
widening project will include a new landscaped
median, bike lanes, sidewalks, multiuse paths, turn
lanes and wildlife crossings. Project construction
cost is $60 million.
Intersection improvements to Valencia and
Kolb roads (RTA Project No. 24) are expected
to get underway in spring 2018. The $20 million

Intersection at Valencia and Kolb
roads, where improvements are
expected to begin in spring 2018

improvement will feature a new parkway-atgrade intersection that uses on-ramps in place
of left turns. The city-managed project will
feature signalized indirect left turns, bike lanes
and sidewalks.

Safety, Environmental & Economic
Vitality, and Transit Elements
The Colossal Cave Road improvement
project, which improved two existing railroad
crossings and access to schools, churches
and businesses, included bike lanes funded
by the RTA. Pima County, the RTA and the Vail
community celebrated project completion on
Sept. 9.
Bus pullouts continue to be a priority of the
RTA, with new or improved pullouts completed
along First Avenue and Sabino Canyon
Road. Additionally, work began on a new
combination of bus pullouts and a signalized
pedestrian crossing at Oracle Road and Las
Lomitas Road, the site of multiple pedestrian
fatalities.
The RTA continues to work with land owners
farther north on Oracle Road on game fencing
projects, to prevent wildlife from reaching
the highway and directing animals to the
recently completed wildlife underpass and
overpass. This combination of crossings is
being monitored by Arizona Game and Fish.
Their studies have documented an increasing
number of wildlife using these features, as
well as a reduction of wildlife collisions with
automobiles.
The completion of a new park-and-ride transit
center (RTA Project No. 51) at the intersection
of Houghton Road and Broadway Boulevard
was celebrated in October 2016 with the City of
Tucson and Sun Tran.
In October 2016, the RTA received a $669,000
mobility-on-demand grant from the Federal
Transit Administration to help augment transit
services that address the “first-mile and lastmile” gaps. The project will target Rita Ranch
as a pilot area for long-term application in the
region. The project will address congestion
by incorporating share ride-on-demand
services, integrated open payment systems
and advanced traveler information systems
in collaboration with grant partners, Tucson–
based Metropia and Tempe-based RubyRide.

PROJECTS COMPLETED IN FY 2016-17
Silverbell Road, Phase 1, Grant Road to Goret Road
Sunset Road, Phase 1, Silverbell Road to Interstate 10
Kolb Road Connection to Sabino Canyon Road
Wilmot Road, north of Sahuarita Road
INTERSECTION SAFETY AND CAPACITY:
Colossal Cave Road and Success Road
Stone Avenue and Drachman Road
ELDERLY AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY:
Mary Ann Cleveland Way and Kush Canyon Pedestrian Signal*
Old Vail Middle School Safe Routes to School project*
Summit View Elementary - Safe Routes to School project*
Ft. Lowell Park at Craycroft Road Pedestrian Signal
Nogales Highway at Olive Street Pedestrian Signal
Campbell Avenue at 9th Street Pedestrian Signal
Grant Road at Sahuara Avenue Pedestrian Signal
TRANSIT CORRIDOR BUS PULLOUTS:
Oracle Road at Prince Road (northbound)
Oracle Road at Prince Road (southbound)
AT-GRADE RAILROAD SAFETY/BRIDGE DEFICIENCY:
Duval Mine Road Bridge Replacement at the Santa Cruz River
GREENWAYS, PATHWAYS, BIKEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS:
Park Avenue Pedestrian Improvements, Speedway to Ft. Lowell Road*

MAJOR PROJECTS INITIATED IN FY 2016-17
Tangerine Road, Phase 1, Dove Mountain Blvd. to La Cañada Drive
Railroad Overpass at Ina Road Interchange
Grant Road, Phase 2, Stone Avenue to Park Avenue
Houghton Road, Phase 5, Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Replacement
ELDERLY AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY:
Oracle Road Pedestrian Signal at Las Lomitas Road
TRANSIT CORRIDOR BUS PULLOUTS:
Oracle Road at Las Lomitas Road (northbound)
First Avenue at Ft. Lowell Road (southbound)
GREENWAYS, PATHWAYS, BIKEWAYS
AND SIDEWALKS:
Camino de la Tierra Bike Lanes, Rillito Riverpark to CDO Riverpark*
Camino de la Tierra - Riverpark Bridge*
TRANSPORTATION-RELATED CRITICAL WILDLIFE LINKAGES:
State Route 77 (Oracle Road) Off-highway Wildlife Fencing

PROJECTS TO BE INITIATED IN 2018
La Cholla Blvd., Overton Road to Tangerine Road
Downtown Links, Phases 3 & 4, Broadway Blvd. to St. Mary’s Road
Valencia Road, Wade Road to Ajo Highway (State Route 86)
Valencia Road, Wilmot Road to east of Kolb Road
Broadway Blvd., Camino Seco Road to Houghton Road
Houghton Road, Phase 6, Union Pacific Railroad Bridge to Interstate 10
ELDERLY AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY:
El Paso and Southwestern Greenway Pedestrian Signal
Robison Elementary School Safety Improvements*
Rio Vista Elementary School Safety Improvements*
TRANSIT CORRIDOR BUS PULLOUTS:
South Sixth Avenue - Bus Pullouts
North Stone Avenue - Bus Pullouts
GREENWAYS, PATHWAYS, BIKEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS:
Glenn Street - Pedestrian Path*
University of Arizona/2nd Street Improvements*
*Local funding match for federal grants

Multi-use path at La Cañada Drive and Naranja Drive

RTA 10-year Performance
Audit Highlights
The RTA plan’s 10-year performance audit, as
required by Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.
41-1279.03.A.6), was conducted by Sjoberg
& Evashenk on behalf of the Office of the
Arizona Auditor General. The statutes require
a performance audit after the 10th year
of the RTA plan, covering fiscal years 2006
through 2016. The statutes also require future
performance audits in 2022 (covering FY
2017-21) and 2027. The objective of the audit
was to establish the efficiency, effectiveness
and performance of the RTA plan.
The audit results showed that the RTA
plan partners are “generally delivering the
projects as envisioned within budget and on
schedule.”
The RTA was commended for establishing a
“robust framework and oversight structure”
to help ensure the RTA plan is implemented
as envisioned by the voters. This framework
was identified as: guiding policies and
procedures, intergovernmental agreements,
and a collaborative and “dedicated tone”
among RTA leadership.
The audit validated that the RTA is
conducting its practices and spending funds
according to applicable Arizona Revised
Statutes, RTA plan provisions, and RTA
policies and procedures.
The state audit identified that it is likely the
RTA will deliver the remaining projects within
the time envisioned by the voters, and that
the RTA has plans in place to address any
shortfalls by using other regional funding
that comes from sources such as state and
federal gas taxes.
The audit provided the RTA with several
recommendations going forward that
will comply with more recent federal
transportation requirements for PAG’s 2045
long-range transportation plan, which
includes RTA projects.
The complete audit may be reviewed at:
http://www.rtamobility.com/documents/
pdfs/RTACART/2017/RTACART-2017-05-01RTA-PerformanceAudit.pdf.

FY 2016-17 RTA FINANCIAL REPORT
REVENUES

(Audited)
Sales Tax

$

(000s)
77,139

Program

$

6,163

Grants

$

1,511

Bond/Investment

$

399

Total Revenues

$ 85,212

EXPENDITURES			
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS		
Total Roadway

$

80,367

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS		
Intersection

$

1,936

Transit Corridor Bus Pullouts

$

795

Elderly & Pedestrian

$

317

At-grade Rail/
Bridge Deficiencies

$

156

Signal Technology

$

347

Total Safety

$

3,551

Greenways, Bikeways,
Pathways & Sidewalks

$

1,716

Transportation-related
Critical Wildlife Links

$

948

Small Business Assistance

$

564

Total Environmental
& Economic Vitality

$

3,228

ENVIRONMENTAL & ECONOMIC
VITALITY IMPROVEMENTS

TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS		
Transit Operations

$

22,928

Sun Link Streetcar

$

3,813

Park & Rides

$

108

Total Transit

$ 26,849

Administration Expenses*

$ 28,954

Total Expenditures

$ 142,949

Surplus/(Deficit) 		 ($57,737)
Beginning of Year Fund Balance

$ 131,072

Year-end Fund Balance

$ 73,335

* Includes bond principal, interest and administration costs

Sunset Road Bridge construction

1 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 401
Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 792-1093 [tel] (520) 620-6981 [fax]
www.RTAmobility

Sunset Road Bridge