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Coconino County accepts $20 million federal PROTECT grant to repair Highway 89 flood damage
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted to accept a federal PROTECT grant to fund engineering and resilience projects on State Route 89 after repeated closures from flood damage. The funds will flow through the county and projects will be implemented by the Flood Control District in coordination with ADOT and federal partners.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors voted to accept a federal PROTECT grant to fund repairs and resilience improvements on State Route 89 following repeated flooding and closures.
Lucinda Andreani, a county staff member leading the grant effort, told the board the award will allow the county to “really dive into the engineering and get these projects moving forward,” and that the funds must flow through the county because of the county’s transportation authority. Andreani said the Flood Control District will implement the work in coordination with the Arizona Department of Transportation and federal partners.
The PROTECT grant was sought after major damage tied to the 2022 pipeline fire and subsequent flood events forced repeated Highway 89 closures, Andreani said, disrupting travel, commerce and access to medical care. “It was closed 13 times in ’22,” she said, adding that improved drainage and engineering would reduce future impacts.
Supervisor Patrice Horstman, District 1 and vice chair of the board, thanked county staff and partners for pursuing the award. Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez, District 2, described the grant as the product of “diligent hard work” and credited multiple agencies and contractors for advancing mitigation work since the fires and floods.
Supervisor Fowler noted the day-to-day consequences for residents and service providers when Highway 89 closes, including detours that have routed traffic through the Navajo Nation and Hopi areas during past incidents.
The board approved the motion to accept the grant by voice vote. County staff said they will return with a subrecipient agreement between the county and the Flood Control District and noted the award included approximately $20,000,000 in federal funds along with a state match secured through the Arizona State Transportation Board.
Implementation will require detailed engineering, interagency coordination and follow-up approvals for project contracts and scheduling. The board did not set construction start dates at the meeting.
