Street politics in Fountain Hills
OPINION — In his current campaign for re-election Mayor Friedel promotes he will continue to invest money fixing our streets, but has he told you everything? No!
Friedel, and other ROT candidates, promised a “roads first” priority. They are failing. Some additional funds have been spent fixing some streets, in part by a windfall from Federal COVID funds. But Friedel ignored the Citizens Advisory Streets Committee (CASC) statement in 2023 that “without significant additional revenues, street network maintenance levels cannot be achieved (backlog) which means streets will continue to deteriorate, creating failing conditions from which the Town cannot possibly recover.”
Three years ago “significant additional revenues” was estimated at $40 million just to fix streets and $10 million for intersections. Can you imagine what that price tag is today?
Rather than adopting the CASC-recommended program (12 individuals representing 250 years of related expertise who spent nearly 20 months addressing street strategies), Friedel’s administration has adopted a direct select approach instead. They decide which streets get fixed. This is street politics!
Rather than using traditional repair techniques like mill and overlay, they have promoted that streets be reconstructed, which is very costly. In the Citizens Report, the committee stated the consultant’s across-the-board “reconstruction” strategy for streets is not warranted or affordable. But what do they know?
The CASC emphasized the urgent need for increased funding and the implementation of a large-scale rehabilitation program. Anything less ensures the continued decline in the community’s network pavement conditions.
Streets are the town’s most valuable asset, worth hundreds of millions of your dollars. Why is Friedel not measuring and updating, regularly, the additional revenues needed? Hint: Street politics! Not measuring means no control. Friedel has no clue because he ignores the 250 years of expertise. Stop street politics with new leadership.
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