Local opinion: Why funding RTA Next for 20 years is essential for Pima County

For our region to thrive, the need for reliable, safe, and efficient transportation becomes more urgent than ever. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has been a vital partner in shaping our regional mobility future since voters first approved it in 2006. Now, we have the opportunity to take the next big step by extending the RTA Next plan and funding it for 20 years; we must seize it.

This is not just about roads and buses. It’s about jobs, safety, economic opportunity, and regional equity. Here’s why the extension of RTA Next matters to every resident of Pima County:

1. Jobs Today and Tomorrow

RTA Next will continue to support and create thousands of construction and engineering jobs, supporting local businesses and workers. But the long-term benefit is even more powerful: modern infrastructure attracts investment. Companies consider transportation access a top priority when deciding where to locate and expand their businesses. A study by Rounds Consulting estimates that RTA has helped create over 40,000 permanent jobs in Tucson. By funding RTA Next for 20 years, we send a clear signal that southern Arizona is ready to create jobs for Tucsonans across all sectors now and into the future.

2. Getting People to Work

For thousands of residents, reliable roads, bike facilities, sidewalks, and public transit are the difference between keeping a job and losing one. RTA Next ensures that people from all parts of the region, including Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, South Tucson, Tohono O’odham Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and Unincorporated Pima County, can get to work efficiently and affordably. It improves major corridors, provides transit funding, increases mobility, and reduces bottlenecks that cost our economy millions in lost time and productivity.

3. Supporting Emergency Services

In an emergency, every second counts. Congested intersections and poorly maintained roads can delay police, firefighters, and ambulances when they’re needed most. RTA Next includes critical investments in safety improvements for wider roads, better traffic signal coordination, and safer intersections to make sure first responders can reach you and your loved ones quickly in a time of immediate need.

4. Access to Health Care

Thousands of Pima County residents depend on the regional transportation network to get to medical appointments, pharmacies, and hospitals. RTA Next enhances roadways, as well as transit routes and paratransit options, ensuring our most vulnerable residents aren’t left behind when it comes to accessing health care.

5. Improving Regional Mobility and Safety

We are a regional economy, and our transportation system must reflect that. RTA Next connects all corners of the region with coordinated projects that benefit every jurisdiction. It promotes increased safety improvements within new projects, connectivity between neighborhoods, reduces congestion, and promotes more efficient movement of people, goods, and services. All of which support the backbone of our local economy, keeping you and your family safe, more prosperous, more time to spend with family, and the ability to do more of what you love rather than sitting in traffic.

6. A Smart Long-Term Investment

A 20-year funding horizon, similar to te one we passed in 2006, gives us stability. It enables better planning, leverages Federal and State dollars, and allows for more cost-effective project delivery. Trying to plan with shorter, piecemeal renewals that only fund RTA Next for 5 or 10 years will produce uncertainty and higher costs.

RTA Next is more than a plan; it’s a commitment to future generations that we will continue building a region with enhanced mobility, economic sustainability, and inclusive of everyone. While some work still remains to finalize the plan, the most recent drafts are responsive to local needs, and we know that without RTA funding our region would lag behind. Let’s vote to extend the RTA Next and fully fund it for 20 years so we can continue building a stronger, more connected Pima County together.