A state agency that helps rural and tribal communities pay for infrastructure announced a new round of funding that will provide $1.4 million for projects in Superior, Winslow and Apache County.
The Greater Arizona Development Authority helps smaller communities across the state secure loans to build bridges, water systems and other infrastructure.
The town of Superior received the lion’s share of funding announced this week.
“The town of Superior, we did a loan for about $1.3 million for a bridge that provides greater access to a fire station, so it lowers emergency response times,” said Mary Foote, director of the Greater Arizona Development Authority.
The Panther Bridge Project will also help residents have easier access to work and school, according to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office.
“This financial loan will help Superior update critical infrastructure by building a bridge that provides better access to our town's firehouse,” said Superior Town Manager Todd Pryor. “This investment will ensure reliable emergency response times during all weather conditions and strengthen our infrastructure for decades to come.”
The city of Winslow also received $100,000 to help pay for preconstruction engineering and design of a new levee. The Authority also loaned $40,000 to the Escudilla Mountain Domestic Water Improvement District in Apache County for engineering and design of a new community standpipe.
Foote said the Greater Arizona Development Authority said rural communities can have a hard time securing funding for infrastructure on their own.
“So, by coming to the Greater Arizona Development Authority, we're able to get lower rates for them than they would be able to get themselves, bringing down the cost of projects,” Foote said.
She said the Authority works out a loan agreement with the municipalities and secures funding from investors, such as banks or capital markets. The agency also has its own $12 million loan fund that it can use to back a loan.
“So we basically have mechanisms to assure investors payments, helping to bring down the interest rates that the towns or communities would be borrowing,” Foote said.
The Greater Arizona Development Authority issued $574 million in bonds between 1997 and 2014, before going dormant.
Hobbs, the democratic governor, reactivated the program in 2024.
“When I reactivated GADA last year, I knew it would become a vital resource for communities that have been overlooked,” Hobbs said in a statement. “These projects address critical infrastructure needs while creating pathways to economic growth and community safety.”
Foote, the GADA director, said the Authority could provide $30 million to $50 million over the next year to help fund large-scale public infrastructure projects.
It could also provide another $500,000 during that time for technical assistance, such as engineering and design services.
