Sedona AZ (October 15, 2010) – During its October 12, 2010 meeting, the Sedona City Council discussed citizen participation and an education process for consideration of a route transfer for Arizona State Route 89A. Based on this discussion, several steps will be taken to initiate the public process.

CivTech, an Arizona engineering firm that specializes in transportation planning and design, was hired to ensure that the City has factual information regarding current and future costs in maintaining the SR 89A highway in west Sedona.

CivTech will present its engineering study assessing the safety needs of the SR 89A corridor at the Sedona City Council November 23, 2010 meeting. Sedona city staff will present its findings of information on the potential federal and state funding available to offset costs associated with a SR 89A route transfer.

It is anticipated that by mid November, the negotiations with Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will be concluded. This information will be presented at the November 2010 Council meeting.

The next step planned by the Sedona City Council is to educate the public with all of the facts gathered from these initiatives. This process will take place during the month of December 2010 and include both community presentations and written materials, allowing the community to draw its own conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of a SR 89A route transfer for the City of Sedona.

The Sedona City Council will assess the community’s support and opposition to a route transfer soliciting community feedback during the months of December 2010 and January 2011. Many of the details for both public education and assessing the community’s support or opposition to the route transfer are still in the planning stage. Due to the upcoming holidays, these processes will require additional time beyond the January 15, 2011 ADOT deadline. The City requested that the Arizona Department of Transportation grant a thirty to sixty day deadline extension to allow the City of Sedona sufficient time to make a rationally informed decision on this important issue.

For more information, contact the City Manager’s office at Sedona City Hall, 102 Roadrunner Drive, Sedona AZ 86336 or call 928-204-7127.

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