Yuma outlines $222 million capital-improvement program and 128 active projects

Steve Wilson, assistant director of engineering for the City of Yuma, told the City Council on Feb. 2 that the city’s approved 2025 capital-improvement program (CIP) includes 128 projects and “a little over $222,000,000” in budgeted funds.

Wilson said the program spans utilities, transportation, public works, parks and facilities and that roughly one-third of projects are carried out in-house while larger projects are designed and managed by the engineering department. “I’m Steve Wilson, assistant director of engineering,” he told the council as he began the quarterly update.

The presentation listed work across sewer, water, neighborhood services, engineering, public works, facilities, parks and recreation, and public safety. Wilson highlighted several items: the Colorado River Interceptor Manhole Phase 1 (recently completed), the multi‑year Desert Dunes wastewater project intended to “double the capacity of the plant from about 3,000,000 gallons a day to 6,000,000 gallons a day” with a projected completion in May 2027, and a Fortieth Street lift station replacement finished in January.

On water projects, Wilson said one project now under construction is a new water line on Arizona Avenue between Seventeenth Avenue and 20 Fourth Street; other planned water-line extensions and replacements were noted. For transportation, he described the new transportation management center and related signal-controller upgrades, saying crews have upgraded 45 signals across several corridors and expect the center’s facility to be built by June, with software integration and final connectivity to follow.

Wilson also discussed recent public-works projects such as a completed pavement replacement on Avenue B (20 Fourth Street to Sixteenth Street) and a box culvert bridge on 70 and Fortieth Street that will support a future intersection. Parks-and-recreation highlights included lighting installed at Ray Croc Field, the reconstructed Kennedy Skate Park (completed December), site work at East Mesa Park and an archery range completed in May 2024. Facilities work includes terrace concrete replacement and a planned cooling-tower replacement at the civic center.

Council members asked questions about project timing and costs. Councilmember Morris asked whether the Arizona Avenue water-line project would go back out to bid; Wilson said funding from the water fund covered the difference and the project will proceed to bid. Morris also asked whether the transportation management center would be operational when the facility is completed; Wilson said the center building will be complete in June but connecting signal software and controller integration with Econolite will take additional time.

Deputy Mayor Smith asked why the canal bridge/bridal project budget rose from about $1.5 million to over $3 million; Wilson said the project was extended to connect to a roadway alignment further east, which increased the cost. Councilmember Watts pressed about downtown impacts of a water-line replacement and whether traffic would be affected; Wilson said the line goes under the railroad and would have only minimal traffic impacts.

Wilson explained a visual schedule showing projects by fiscal year and phase (planning, design, bidding and construction) and said most projects scheduled for design in FY2025 remain on track. He closed by noting the engineering department has 26 employees and offered to answer follow-up questions.

The update was informational; no formal votes were taken on the CIP during the meeting. Councilmembers asked staff to return with more detail on bid timing and signal timing adjustments as the transportation management center goes live.