MYTHS vs. FACTS – Maintaining 89a

By Mike Schroeder Sedona, AZ

Sedona, AZ (September 20, 2011) – Proposition 410, a referendum on the November 8 mail in ballot in Sedona, asks the citizens of Sedona to vote on whether the City Council’s vote on February 22, 2011 to enter into an agreement with Arizona Department for Sedona to take back ownership of Highway 89a in West Sedona from approximately the Y to the southern city limits and accept the $15 million offer to make safety improvements and maintain the highway by the city should be upheld, or to allow the Arizona Department of Transportation to continue to own the highway and  begin the immediate process of installing 108 35′ tall lights on the highway. A Yes vote on Prop 410 will approve the City Council’s decision and a No vote on Prop 410 will tell ADOT to move forward with the lights.

MYTH: Pundits state that if the City of Sedona takes back Highway 89A in West Sedona the city does not have the capability or budget to maintain and rebuild such a roadway.

FACT: The City of Sedona already maintains over 100 miles of roads, so they do have experience in scheduled maintenance. The “proposed take back” section of 89a is 4.8 miles which would account for about 8% of the budget considering 89a is a 5 lane road. The Sedona City Manager confirmed that this can be managed by the existing budget. NOTE: Pavement maintenance is a separate budget item from street maintenance (cleaning, etc.)

MYTH: The cost per mile of the new SR 179 and the redoing of 89A cost per mile will be the same.

FACT: Patently false. The SR179 project included a NEW ADDED roadbed with bridges, hill cuts, support walls, roundabouts, land acquisitions and new sidewalks. A redo to dirt on 89a (required every 30-35 years) requires none of that.

MYTH: The city does not have the capability or expertise to rebuild a road.

FACT: The City does not rebuild a roadway ANYMORE than ADOT rebuilds a roadway. Both consult engineers, specifications are written, requests for proposals are issued, and a professional contractor is hired. Just like ADOT does it. The city, like ADOT simply manages the contract for compliance.

Our city government and its departments are responsible, professional and competent. The CITIZENS of Sedona and our ELECTED council should work together to make West Sedona’s corridor a place of beauty, integrated with our local businesses like so many other resort communities. We cannot allow our town to be managed by outsiders.

It is OUR City, OUR Future, and OUR Choice. Vote YES to Measure 410

Mike Schroeder

Sedona, AZ