On October 22, 2024, the U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence held the final event of the three-part thought leadership series: Making Good on the Potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. U.S. DOT Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Mariia Zimmerman delivered opening remarks. Gregory Byres, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Deputy Director/State Engineer; Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Gila River Indian Community; and Kurt Kionka, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) I-70 Floyd Hill Project Director, shared key insights on project acceleration for the public good. 

U.S. DOT Volpe Center Director Gregg Fleming and U.S. DOT Office of the Secretary Coordinator for Project Delivery Stephanie Pollack moderated the session.

Shovel-Ready, Shovel-Worthy Projects  

Zimmerman highlighted the U.S. DOT’s commitment to advancing equity in public infrastructure, reflecting on Secretary Buttigieg’s aim to invest in not only “shovel-ready” but also “shovel-worthy” projects that deliver on public good. She stressed the importance of public engagement, not only in planning but throughout project delivery, to ensure that infrastructure projects align with diverse community needs. 

The Wild Horse Pass Corridor Project: A Collaborative Infrastructure Initiative

ADOT and the Gila River Indian Community are working together to improve the Wild Horse Pass Corridor, a vital segment of I-10 connecting Phoenix and Tucson. Governor Lewis highlighted the significant infrastructure advancements achieved through collaborative efforts with state and federal representatives, noting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's critical influence in addressing systemic transportation challenges faced by the community. ADOT’s Greg Byres shared insights on this unique partnership and the pivotal role it plays in advancing transportation and economic opportunity for both Arizona and the Gila River Indian Community. 

Gila River Indian Community and Infrastructure Challenges

Located between Phoenix and Tucson, the Gila River Indian Community, with its 375,000-acre reservation and over 25,000 members, faces unique transportation challenges. The I-10 freeway, which bisects their land, created severe traffic and safety issues due to insufficient infrastructure improvements within the reservation’s boundaries, revealing persistent inequities in transportation. Dubbed the "funnel of death" by local authorities, Governor Lewis noted the bottleneck increased accidents, strained emergency services, and forced traffic through small village roads, disrupting daily life. 

Collaborative Approach and Tribal Leadership to Achieve Infrastructure Funding

Historically, the Gila River Indian Community received little support from state and federal entities to address these transportation challenges. However, Governor Lewis highlighted three key factors that drove progress in addressing these issues: the community's economic and political growth, which enabled greater self-advocacy; shifting political landscapes and support and passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; and state leadership who prioritized tribal outreach and infrastructure. 

ADOT submitted an initial federal grant proposal to widen the I-10 and make it accessible to the community through new interchanges and exits. However, this first proposal failed, leading Governor Lewis to seek direct feedback from the DOT, gaining insights that emphasized the importance of tribal involvement and equitable outcomes in future submissions. This led to a restructured, joint grant submission between the Gila River Indian Community and the state of Arizona that highlighted safety and equitable infrastructure investment within the community’s reservation. Governor Katie Hobbs championed the revised grant proposal as a top priority for the state, and it was supported by state legislators, federal representatives, local agencies, and the community. This collaboration successfully secured federal funding.

Key features of the project include adding new general-purpose lanes, extending the HOV lanes, and improving crossroads for capacity and access; replacing I-10 bridges over the Gila River; building new and improved traffic interchanges to create crossings for farm equipment, bicyclists, and pedestrians; and installing fiber-optic infrastructure to enhance safety technology and traffic management.

Transformative Potential of Partnerships

Both Byres and Governor Lewis emphasized the valuable lessons from the Wild Horse Pass Corridor Project, including the importance of effective communication, strong partnering between state and tribal entities to address community needs, ensuring community involvement, and managing expectations around federal funding timelines. 

Byres notes that ADOT has worked closely with its partners in the tribal community to ensure transparency and foster consistent communication. Initiatives such as targeted outreach and the formation of a Tribal Workforce Development initiative aim to provide education, skills training, and apprenticeship opportunities for Gila River Indian Community members. Byres says that ADOT is leveraging these insights for other projects and has established a Tribal Relations Team to enhance collaboration with Arizona's tribal nations.

Governor Lewis underscored three principles for tribes pursuing similar projects: the need for federal support, the value of strong local and state partnerships on tribal transportation priorities, and the importance of proactive tribal leadership.

The Wild Horse Pass Corridor Project exemplifies the transformative potential of partnerships between state and tribal entities in meeting infrastructure needs while fostering economic growth and cultural respect and addressing systemic inequities. 

Transforming the I-70 Corridor: A Comprehensive Overview of the Floyd Hill Project

CDOT’s Kurt Kionka shared insights from the Floyd Hill Project, which aims to address bottlenecks, improve safety, and enhance travel experiences along Colorado’s I-70 corridor. This corridor is a vital east-west route in Colorado and across the nation, but it frequently suffers from severe traffic congestion, particularly on weekends and holidays. One main problem area is the transition from three lanes to two at the top of Floyd Hill, causing extensive delays. 

Kionka acknowledged that a $100 million INFRA grant, the largest grant CDOT has ever received, has allowed this project to move forward. The Floyd Hill Project is widening and upgrading 7 miles of I-70 and adding a third lane from the top of Floyd Hill to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels. This new lane will function as a full-time toll express lane to improve capacity and alleviate bottlenecks. Additionally, curves along the canyon will be flattened, increasing travel speeds to 55 mph for safer travel through mountainous terrain. Features include a new eastbound on-ramp, expanded sight distances, and standardized shoulder widths to increase stopping time in emergencies, ADA-compliant recreational trails, and air quality monitoring systems.

A Context-Sensitive Solution to Engage Communities 

Kionka noted the Floyd Hill Project heavily leverages a context-sensitive solutions process, engaging community stakeholders such as environmental groups, business owners, and recreational users from the early design phase. This continuous interaction has helped accelerate the project for the public good by providing a process to address community concerns collaboratively, thereby reducing potential conflicts and delays and ensuring overall community support throughout the life of the project.

Kionka also emphasized how choosing the right delivery method was critical to successful project delivery. The Floyd Hill Project uses the construction manager/general contractor approach, which allows for collaborative design and smoother project execution, with the contractor providing input at 20-percent design completion. This approach has enabled innovative solutions, such as reconfiguring bridge foundations to reduce construction costs and adjusting the viaduct layout to achieve aesthetic and structural benefits. 

Kionka also stressed the importance of starting with a base scope mindset with big projects to control costs and avoid scope creep, identifying risks early, and engaging in constant communication with the construction manager and designers to align project goals and manage risks.

Community Involvement Is Key

Throughout the speakers’ discussions, the importance of federal investments in infrastructure, prioritizing safety, and engaging with communities were recurring themes. Effective communication and establishing trust were identified as critical elements in fostering successful partnerships. Lastly, the conversations touched on climate resilience in project designs, with both Floyd Hill and the I-10 project incorporating measures to enhance environmental sustainability. 

Pollack concluded by reflecting on the ongoing progress of infrastructure improvements and the collaborative spirit driving these initiatives forward.

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