TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is sharing her take on Tuesday night's RTA special election after voters approved both propositions, representing a multibillion-dollar investment aimed at improving city infrastructure.
I had the chance to sit down with Mayor Romero, along with several members of the media, to talk about what's next for the approved props.
"I want to say thank you to the voters of Tucson and saying yes to this important investment," Romero said.
Romero outlined several priorities for how the funds will be used, including 31 major road projects aimed at freeways, lane capacity and bike lanes.
The mayor also responded to criticism over the slow pace of current construction projects.
"They are going to be our priority as the City of Tucson so many of those projects, first and foremost, many of them are being finalized," Romero said.
The package also includes transit system upgrades, modernized traffic signals, pavement improvements and climate-related enhancements.
"We're going to see additional funds from the RTA coming to manage and operate our street cars, continued investment on million dollars a year in our transit system," Romero said.
Election results show 40 percent of voters opposed the propositions. Romero noted no tax dollars will be used for this investment, saying the funds are coming from the RTA.
"I think they made the choice of saying not a perfect plan but absolutely we're going to continue to invest," Romero said.
Over the next 20 years, the city will focus on implementing the projects approved through this investment. The mayor said 2046 is a long way off, and while she doesn't know what will change, she is encouraging voters and city leaders to bring innovative ideas to the next RTA planning process.
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Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
