Maricopa’s most important highway could make a comeback as a top priority for the state’s transportation department.

Members of the Arizona State Transportation Board this morning discussed a range of projects to be included in the Arizona Department of Transportation’s tentative five-year program, including State Route 347.

The consensus? The board is contemplating adding the state highway back to its plan but sees one big hurdle: funding.

Even with the advancement of Senate Bill 1617 Tuesday to fund the Riggs Road overpass and the city Feb. 13 proposing a half-penny sales tax to fund widening SR 347, the board still felt hesitant.

“We can’t put this into the five-year plan until we know there’s a funding source available,” one board member said bluntly.

But some of the embattled roadway’s loudest advocates aren’t giving up hope just yet.

Glennwilde resident Tena Dugan said she felt hopeful.

“They’re reading the emails and they’re hearing us. The big thing is we can’t let up on reminding them about [SR] 347,” she told InMaricopa.

The same went for Ron Angerame, who also lives in Glennwilde.

“I think if we can continue to tell a very strong story and close the funding gap for the 347, that’ll be really good,” he said.

The pair accompanied Mayor Nancy Smith and a handful of other Maricopa residents in attending the meeting in Surprise this morning. Smith said board members needed a little prompting and studying “to determine how to make that happen.”

“They have options and we’re asking them to exercise those options they have for adjusting priorities and getting this critical project in the plan,” the mayor said. “We believe the board members are seriously looking for a way to make that happen.”

The next steps include getting members of the public to submit comments on adding SR 347 improvements to the five-year preliminary plan, which opens March 3.

Dugan said she’s hopeful others will do their part to help secure SR 347 as priority of ADOT.

“I think the city’s got some work to do, and I think our legislators need to keep going with SB 1617 on the Riggs Road overpass,” she said. “But I do think this is the brightest light at the end of the tunnel that I’ve seen in the many years of going to meetings.”