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Sixth Avenue Underpass renaming passed; Vice Mayor selection delayed by Tucson City Council

Council also approved water supply fee increase during Tuesday's meeting
Donovan Durband renaming
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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson City Council unanimously approved a resolution to rename the Sixth Avenue Underpass after the late Donovan Durband during Tuesday's meeting.

The idea to rename the underpass after the longtime city employee was first proposed by his widow, Erin Durband, who was at Tuesday's meeting.

The underpass will be renamed the "Donovan Durband Sixth Avenue Underpass," and will be painted with Downtown Tucson postcards that Donovan collected. A memorial plaque will also be installed.

Donovan, who died in June of 2023, served as the Administrator of the City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility's Park Tucson Division for 13 years, and as the Director of the Tucson Downtown Alliance.

He was instrumental in revitalizing Tucson's downtown, helping to bring modern street cars and working on the renovations of the Fox and Rialto Theatres.

The city council was also set to select a new vice mayor at Tuesday's meeting, but it decided to table the motion until next meeting, which isn't until the new year.

Selected every December, the vice mayor serves one year in the roll.

Two council members have put their name in the hat this year: Lane Santa Cruz from Ward 1 and Nikki Lee from Ward 4.

Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl will continue as vice mayor in the interim.

Another resolution approved by the council will mean higher water bills for Tucson residents.

The council unanimously voted toincrease the water supply fee from $1.00 per 100-cubic-feet to $1.25.

KGUN 9's Maria Staubs explains Tucson's new water supply fee increase:

City council approves plan to raise water supply fee

The city says the increase will help cover higher costs of purchasing water from the Central Arizona Project.

The next Tucson City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 7.