According to a city release, the Maricopa Association of Governments “approved a funding change that secures the full $29.29 million needed” for Scottsdale’s improvement project on Scottsdale Road between Jomax Road and Dixileta Drive.
At an April 3 meeting, Scottsdale City Council “canceled” a planned roundabout at Scottsdale and Dynamite roads by a 4-3 vote (Adam Kwasman, Jan Dubauskas, Barry Graham, Kathy Littlefield for; Solange Whitehead, Maryann McAllen, Mayor Lisa Borowsky opposed).
Critics of the move complained it threatened a huge chunk of funding for the previously-approved $43 million project.
A press release from her office credited Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky for “successfully advocat(ing) at the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council meeting to secure $29.29 million in funding” for the project.
“This was about protecting Scottsdale taxpayers and ensuring that critical infrastructure improvements move forward,” Borowsky said.
According to an April 8 report to City Council from Alison Tymkiw, a senior city engineer, “redesigning from a roundabout to a signalized intersection would be deemed a significant change in scope” and “such a scope change would result in forfeiture of $31,132,929 in federal funding.”
Though she said she could not make a guarantee, Tymkiw noted, “The city could potentially exchange federal funding with regional funding … through the Maricopa Association of Governments.”
That indeed happened this week – though about $2 million short of what was forfeited.
According to Holly Peralta, a city spokeswoman, “The $43,685,237 budget was approved by city council last year at the Sept. 24, 2024, council meeting, prior to the start of construction.
“The $1.8 million Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant was forfeited when changing the roundabout to a traffic signal. That funding will be replaced with 0.1% Transportation Sales Tax.”
In a Dec. 3 press release, Scottsdale spokeswoman Peralta said MAG’s approval “finalizes a months-long effort by the city of Scottsdale to shift the project from federal funding to regional Proposition 400 sales tax funding.”
MAG worked with the city to identify eligible projects where the federal funds could be reassigned, the release noted. Regional half-cent sales tax funds simultaneously were moved into Scottsdale’s project to replace them.
“According to MAG, the exchange maintains full funding for Scottsdale while keeping all involved projects compliant with the Arterial Life Cycle Program,” Peralta said.
Adjustments to accommodate the swap were incorporated into MAG’s FY 2026–2030 Transportation Improvement Program before receiving final approval, she added.
The ongoing project includes updates to intersections, landscaped medians, bike lanes, sidewalks and trails.
The road project is expected to continue through the summer of 2026.
City Manager Greg Caton said the MAG decision “ensures a critical north Scottsdale roadway improvement stays on schedule.”