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Nogales details CMAQ‑funded sidewalk work on Patagonia Highway and Frank Reid Road; some sections deferred due to limits and federal compliance
Summary
City engineers reported progress on sidewalks funded by CMAQ and related programs, said limited funds ($1.3M) and federal compliance requirements led to skipping some segments including near Lourdes School; estimated material cost to finish two missing segments about $100,000.
City engineers reported to the Nogales City Council on recently completed sidewalk and pedestrian improvements along Patagonia Highway and Frank Reid Road, projects supported by federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds.
Juan Guerra, presenting construction and funding updates, said the original plan included a 10‑foot pedestrian/bike pathway but designers encountered right‑of‑way constraints (including encroachments adjacent to Lourdes School and La Terrazas Apartments) and higher construction costs. He said the project received roughly $1,300,000 in CMAQ funds but that consultant engineering costs and contingencies reduced the amount available for construction.
Guerra said crews replaced the most damaged south‑side sidewalks, built new north‑side sidewalks toward Frank Reid Road and completed a small, complex segment under I‑19 that required additional engineering. He said two sections were deferred to preserve the grant deadline and avoid lengthy environmental and archaeological reviews that would have delayed the project. Guerra estimated purchase of materials to finish two remaining 10‑foot segments would cost about $100,000 (material cost only) and said the city could perform some work in‑house.
Council members questioned consultant costs, coordination with Union Pacific (which had previously resisted pedestrian work near its tracks), and whether water meters or other utilities should have been replaced first to avoid future rework. Guerra said water‑meter boxes were considered but replacing all meters would have delayed the grant use and potentially jeopardized the funding deadline.
Why it matters: CMAQ funds are competitive and require federal compliance; the city used available funds to complete priority segments but deferred others because of right‑of‑way, archaeological review and cost limits. Council members asked for follow‑up on remaining segments, possible Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications and use of city match funds.
