Senate committee recommends funding for safety upgrades on US 70 after tribal leaders outline toll of crashes

Senate Bill 10‑63, which seeks $10.4 million from the state general fund for safety improvements along U.S. Route 70, received a due‑pass recommendation from the Senate Health and Human Services Committee following testimony from tribal and local officials.

Chairman Terry Rambler of the San Carlos Apache Tribe told the panel that crashes along the stretch of US‑70 traversing the reservation have had an outsized effect on his community. Rambler urged funding of approximately $11.1 million to install paved shoulders, guardrails or median treatments where appropriate and presented historical accident and fatality counts for the corridor.

Greenlee County Sheriff Eric Ellis and tribal officer Elliot Sneezy described persistent hazards on the two‑lane road — including high speeds, agricultural traffic and long drop‑offs with no guardrails — and emphasized enforcement limits caused by long patrol distances and court time. "It has been needed to be addressed," Sheriff Ellis said, recounting years of firsthand response to fatalities on U.S. 70.

Committee members discussed possible federal or BIA funding, allocation formulas, and the challenge that larger counties often capture more federal dollars under current scoring systems. After debate, the committee voted to recommend a due pass for the bill.