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County, ADOT and GSA outline Douglas port connector plan; funding figures remain unsettled
Summary
At a Feb. 20 work session, county engineering staff described plans for a connector road from the Douglas port of entry to Highway 80 with ADOT handling design; staff cited a preferred alignment (James Ranch Road), a $49 million construction estimate and multiple partial funding sources but said a clear total for construction remains unsettled.
Cochise County engineering staff told supervisors Feb. 20 that ADOT is expected to complete design work for a new connector from the Douglas port of entry to Highway 80 and that the preferred alternative is James Ranch Road.
The presentation described this as an ADOT city–county project; engineering staff said ADOT should complete a design concept by March and that the county has roughly $5,000,000 for design. Staff reported additional contributions of $4,400,000 from Arizona Smart Funds, $100,000 of county HEERF funds and $500,000 from the city of Douglas for project elements. Staff also said the General Services Administration (GSA) has about $27,300,000 in its budget for site work (drainage and related site items) on the port complex.
Staff cited an anticipated construction cost of about $49,000,000 for the connector road itself, and also noted references in the discussion to a larger $80,000,000 total project figure that mixes building, drainage and roadway elements. Presenters said that while GSA is advancing the federal port facility (with a design-build contract and an expected site/earthwork groundbreaking in August), the road construction funding still requires further grant awards and lobbying.
Timeline and coordination: engineering staff said the GSA site (port building and immediate drainage) is on a faster track under a design-build contract; the site/earthwork groundbreaking was discussed for August (presentation noted 2025 as the near-term timeframe). Staff said the port building’s design-build contract could finish and open the facility by mid-2028, and that the connector road could be built by 2028 if funding is secured and right-of-way and design proceed on schedule. The county will acquire right-of-way for the connector using city funds where the project lies in the county, staff said.
Inspection station and operations: staff said ADOT and GSA are coordinating placement of the state inspection station so trucks can be routed through the federal port of entry and then directly into the state inspection area rather than traveling to the existing Highway 191 inspection site.
Why it matters: staff said the connector would provide a modern, four-lane divided highway into the port area with roundabouts to manage flows and substantial culvert/drainage work because the site lies in a flood zone. The project would affect regional freight movement and local road connections.
Ending: staff said the county will continue to apply for grants and coordinate with ADOT, GSA and the city of Douglas; supervisors received the update but took no formal action during the work session.
