COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a grant agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to accept a $19.5 million Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant that will fund engineering and construction of flood mitigation for Highway 89. The grant agreement was approved by the County on behalf of the Flood Control District (District), which will be responsible for implementing the projects.
During the Pipeline Fire post-wildfire flooding events of 2022, Highway 89 was closed thirteen times for many hours due to flood impacts. Highway 89 is the key transportation artery to the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands and one of two north/south transportation corridors in Northern Arizona. Many people living on the Nation are employed in cities and towns accessed by Highway 89 as well as many critical services such as health care.
“Closures to Highway 89 are not just an inconvenience,” Judy Begay, Coconino County District 4 Supervisor and Chair of the Board said. “They create a barrier to employment, health and safety, by forcing people to drive extra hours around the Grand Canyon or Hopi lands to get to work and appointments, which has resulted in a loss of employment for some residents.”
The highway is also integral to the region’s tourism economy, as it serves as a transportation corridor to over 6 million annual visitors to Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Wave, Horseshoe Bend, and other national monuments in the area.
“Highway 89 is too important to leave unmitigated,” Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Flood Control District Administrator said. “The economic impacts of doing nothing far outweighs this federal grant.”
With the PROTECT Grant funds, the District will pursue highway drainage improvements, including a highway crossing to convey floodwaters and upsizing of current flood detention basins adjacent to Highway 89, The grant agreement requires a grant match of roughly $3.9 million. About $3.7 million of the grant match is being provided by the Arizona State Transportation Board through an Arizona State Match Advantage for Rural Transportation (AZ SMART) grant. The remaining $191,880 is being provided by the District.
“The cost of adequately responding to natural disasters like the 2022 Pipeline Fire quickly outpaces the financial capacity of local governments like Coconino County,” added Patrice Horstman, County Supervisor, District 1. “It’s imperative for people to understand that without these federal funds, there is little that can be done.”
The PROTECT grant is one of several federal grants the District has been awarded in their efforts to mitigate post-wildfire flooding. To date, the District has been awarded over $130 million in federal grants and delivered roughly $100 million in watershed restoration and flood mitigation infrastructure that significantly improves public safety among over 1,500 impacted homes. For more information, visit www.Coconino.az.gov/SchultzPipelineFloodArea.