Buckeye council approves authority to acquire right-of-way for Watson and Broadway interim improvements
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Summary
The council approved Ordinance 24-26 granting staff authority to acquire fee title or lesser property interests, including the option to pursue eminent domain, for interim safety and traffic improvements at Watson and Broadway. Staff said the work is an interim fix; an ultimate build-out would require additional agreements or future actions.
The Buckeye City Council on Feb. 17 approved Ordinance 24-26, giving the city manager, city attorney and city clerk authority to acquire fee title or lesser property interests — including easements and, if necessary, through condemnation — for public utilities, drainage and construction tied to the Watson and Broadway roadway project.
Radha Quinn, of the city’s program management office for the capital improvement program, told the council the project is ‘‘stemmed to address traffic concerns and safety indicators in the corridor’’ and described planned interim improvements such as new traffic signals, turn lanes and additional through lanes. Quinn said the alignment is being shifted west to avoid nearby residences and other structures and that staff seeks authority to continue negotiations and, if needed, acquire property interests "all the way up to the the exercising of eminent domain."
Councilor Yonker pressed for clarity on the scope. "This is an interim project. It is not an ultimate build out that we're seeking today," Yonker said; Quinn confirmed the council was being asked only for authority to secure the right-of-way needed for the current, shorter-term design. Quinn also noted that the ultimate buildout would involve additional right-of-way and half-street improvements and could require separate agreements or future processes.
Council discussion referenced roughly two to three years of work with landowners along the corridor and repeated staff assurances that good-faith negotiations would continue before any condemnation. A council member moved to approve the ordinance; the motion was seconded and the item passed. The transcript records both affirmative and opposing voice votes but does not list a roll-call tally by name.
The ordinance authorizes staff to pursue acquisition options necessary for construction; the city did not adopt a final construction plan at the meeting. Next steps include continuing negotiations with property owners and initiating right-of-way acquisition work under the authority granted by Ordinance 24-26. Staff indicated an interim construction timeframe consistent with current projections and further design work ahead of any ultimate build-out.
