SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The City of Sierra Vista had planned on receiving roughly $7 million from a Congressional appropriations committee for the latest phase of the Buffalo Soldier Trail reconstruction project. With Congress failing to pass a budget and continuing a resolution that suspends the distribution of appropriation funds, the trail of money has gone dry and the roadway remains unfinished.
"(Phase two of) the project is dead with the current continuing resolution,” said Assistant City Manager for the City of Sierra Vista, Victoria Yarbrough. "Phase two project will not happen. Currently, we don't have the funding to put toward that project.”
The City received $3.7 million dollars in 2023 for the first phase of the project, from the federal government — targeting what Yarbrough says it is the worst part of the road.
"The project is so large that it's easier to get portions funded by breaking it into phases, and that is how we have typically gotten projects done in Sierra Vista,” Yarbrough said.
The total project fixes 3 miles of the road, and is broken down into six phases.
“That entire project is estimated around $30 million," Yarbrough said. "Right now the City does not have $30 million to redo Buffalo Soldier Trail.”
Without the federal money, the project is delayed. Something staff have seen for 20 years.
"We will be submitting for the next fiscal year, when hopefully Congress can pass a budget next fiscal year and approve this appropriation,” Yarbrough said. “We have found that this is the best way. We have tried other grant opportunities for street infrastructure projects but we found they were exceptionally competitive in our projects, never rose to the top of those grants.”
Phase one of the project is moving forward. Yarbrough says the money is with the state, who will be creating the designs and do the environmental studies. Construction, however, will not begin for over a year.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
