Transportation Infrastructure and Arizona Counties: What Lawmakers Need to Know

2 days ago
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21,000

Miles of County Roads

1,200

County Maintained Bridges

$2.2 BILLION

10-Year Funding Shortfall

Transportation infrastructure is one of the most visible and consequential services county governments provide. From rural roads connecting remote communities to bridges carrying millions of travelers daily, counties are on the front lines of keeping Arizona moving — and they're doing it with funding that hasn't kept pace with the reality of modern infrastructure costs.

The Scale of County Transportation Responsibility

Counties maintain nearly 21,000 miles of roadway across Arizona — roughly one-third of the state's entire road inventory
Counties also maintain 1,200+ bridges, connecting over 2 million travelers every day to jobs, schools, and emergency services

How County Transportation Work Is Funded

Counties received approximately $350 million from the Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF) in FY 2025
Counties also receive a direct distribution of vehicle license taxes, which totaled just under $81 million in FY 2025
While regional sales taxes and periodic federal and state grants provide supplemental support, HURF remains the primary funding source for counties to build and maintain this critical infrastructure

The Funding Gap Is Growing

While nominal HURF revenues grew 13% from FY2021–2025, purchasing power dropped 35%. Today, HURF buys roughly half of what it could 20 years ago
Poor-condition lane miles in Arizona more than doubled from 2019 to 2023, and road construction costs rose 73% in just 5 years (National Highway Construction Cost Index)
Arizona's fuel tax has been fixed at 18¢/gallon since 1990 — the 4th lowest in the country, roughly half the national average, and not indexed for inflation
Counties face a $2.2B infrastructure funding gap over the next 10 years, and ADOT projects a $111.6B statewide shortfall through 2050

CSA Transportation Resolution:

In response to ongoing funding challenges and increasing pressure to maintain this critical service, Arizona's counties adopted a resolution calling on the state to adopt a sustainable, long-term funding solution for statewide transportation needs. Counties remain committed to working with state partners on solutions that allow for investment in Arizona's transportation network.

Additional Transportation Resources: