Transportation Committee OKs SR347/Riggs overpass

House Bill 2802 passed out of the House Transportation Committee on a 7-0 vote today.

Two members of the nine-person committee were absent.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bret Roberts (R-District 11), would appropriate $35 million toward building a State Route 347 overpass at Riggs Road in Maricopa County. It is co-sponsored by most of the legislators representing Pinal County.

HB2802 was introduced Feb. 6. It is now scheduled to go to the House for a second reading, a process that Roberts said may start Monday.

“I’m incredibly pleased that the House Transportation Committee saw fit to pass Rep. Bret Robert’s bill requesting $35 million from this year’s state budget surplus for a much needed overpass at 347 and Riggs Road, out of its first assigned committee,” Mayor Christian Price said. “However, this is only the first step, and next week it goes to the Appropriations committee,  then to the Rules committee and assuming passage of those two, then to the floor of the full House for debate before crossing over and going through the same process in the Senate.”

If eventually passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the bill would send the funds to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The construction of an overpass on SR 347 would need additional funding and multi-governmental cooperation.

For that to happen, Price said HB2802 needs strong public support.

“If Maricopa wants this money to go towards the fixing of this part of the 347, then we’re gonna certainly need your help in contacting all of the members of these next two committees and urge their support for passage and for the full $35 million. We’ve passed the first hurdle but there are many more to go.”