Updated on November 20th, 2024
The RTA’s current budget for wildlife crossings just won’t cut it!
The Regional Transportation Authority, or RTA, is drafting its next 20-year regional transportation plan for Pima County, “RTA Next,” and there is vast room for improvement! Specifically, the draft RTA Next plan allocates a fraction of the funding needed for wildlife linkage infrastructure—only around 55% of the current plan’s $45 million.
There is much left to do to restore Sonoran Desert wildlife linkages and the $25 million budget proposed in September won’t cover the critical wildlife crossings needed over I-10 to reconnect the Tucson and Tortolita Mountains, let alone crossings also needed in areas such as the I-19 south of Green Valley.
RTA’s Citizens Advisory Committee and staff from all local jurisdictions recommend $50 million for wildlife linkages in the RTA Next plan, which was the number originally shown in the RTA Next budget.
The reduction to $25 million won’t cut it!
HOW YOU CAN HELP NOW
RESPOND TO THE RTA NEXT SURVEY: (Deadline January 8th, 2024)
It takes just five minutes of your time! Your voice will directly support wildlife crossings!
Partway into the public review period, the RTA team has released a survey requesting feedback on the RTA Next draft plan.
We urge you to respond in support of wildlife linkages:
Q2. Which proposed line items (Nos. 1-50) in the RTA Next draft plan represent the highest priority for you? If any, please list up to five line items that you are most interested in as part of the overall plan.
→ RESPONSE: “Line item 43: Wildlife Linkages”
Q9. Of the $2 billion available for new investments, $25 million is proposed to be spent on Wildlife Linkage improvements. In your opinion, is this amount too little, too much, or just right?
→ RESPONSE: “Too little”
Q11. What do you believe is the single most important item that should be changed (added/deleted/modified) in the RTA Next draft plan to gain your overall support of the plan?
→ RESPONSE: “Funding for wildlife linkages must be increased to the full $50 million, as was recommended by the Citizens Advisory Committee and representatives from all local governments. I reject any plan that includes less funding for wildlife linkages, including any plan that considers the contingency as part of the $50 million.”
SHARE THE RTA NEXT SURVEY
The more responses we get, the more likely it is that our message is heard! Please broadcast the RTA Next Survey and the importance of advocating for wildlife linkages across your networks!
ATTEND AN RTA NEXT OPEN HOUSE
The RTA Next project is hosting a series of open houses that began Nov. 6 and run through to Dec. 17, 2024. Check for one near you and attend!
(Specific locations and times at this link: https://rtanext.com/events/)
Tues Nov 19 – Tucson
Wed Nov 20 – Vail
Thurs Nov 21 – Tucson
Tues Dec 3 – Sahuarita
Tues Dec 10 – Tucson
Wed Dec 11 – Tucson
Thurs Dec 12 – South Tucson
Tues Dec 17 – Tucson
At these events, we encourage you to let the RTA team know that you support the full $50 million in funding for wildlife linkages. You can also review what information is already available to the public at: https://rtanext.com/
SUBMIT A COMMENT
The RTA team are accepting comments on what has been presented to date (which includes this list of projects and the inadequate budget!)
ATTEND A MEETING
All RTA meetings are open to the public. Attend a meeting and make your views heard! Meetings and Events – Pima Association of Governments
More Information
