Scottsdale has secured $29.29 million in funding for a north Scottsdale roadway improvement project after previously forfeiting federal grant dollars earlier this year. The funding was obtained following advocacy by Mayor Lisa Borowsky at the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council meeting.
The project, which focuses on improvements to Scottsdale Road between Jomax Road and Dixileta Drive, had faced uncertainty after most of the City Council decided to forfeit federal funds due to opposition from residents in Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and Carefree regarding a proposed roundabout at Scottsdale Road and Dynamite Boulevard.
As a result of this decision, construction contracts were amended, leading to an estimated cost increase of $6.5 million. The total projected cost for the project is now about $43.7 million.
MAG approved a funding swap that moves the project from federal dollars to regional Proposition 400 sales tax funding. This shift allowed the original federal funds to be reassigned to other eligible projects in the region while replacing them with regional half-cent sales tax dollars for Scottsdale’s initiative.
Mayor Borowsky, who serves on both the MAG Regional Council and Transportation Commission, said: “This was about protecting Scottsdale taxpayers and ensuring that critical infrastructure improvements move forward. We worked diligently together — my Regional Council colleagues, city staff and MAG leadership — to keep these dollars in our community and maintain momentum on a project that supports safety, mobility, and economic vitality for north Scottsdale.”
The adjustments related to this funding change have been included in MAG’s FY 2026–2030 Transportation Improvement Program following final approval.
