Federal Funding Case Studies > Avondale, Arizona

Avondale, Arizona

Issue Overview
The City of Avondale, Arizona, on the west side of the Phoenix metropolitan area, has doubled in population since the 2000 Census. Currently, the city boasts a population of 70,000 and expects to have 123,000 residents by the year 2020. One of the fastest-growing communities in the nation, Avondale has seen housing starts grow more than 700 percent in the last decade.

Rapid growth in the area has put tremendous pressure on city services, especially the main transportation corridor, Interstate-10.

Specifically, Interstate-10 narrowed from three lanes into two in Avondale.  Commuters would routinely sit idle for hours on the highway, rendering them unable to get to work or school. Additionally, the congestion on Interstate-10 spilled over onto local neighborhood roads and as a result area-wide congestion grew.

City officials concluded the only solution to this traffic nightmare was to widen Interstate 10. Unfortunately, Avondale lacked resources to address the transportation issues but knew that continued economic development and increased quality of life depended on resolution of its traffic problems.

Strategy & Result
The traffic on Interstate-10 was not only affecting the City of Avondale but neighboring cities as well. The City of Avondale knew that they stood a better shot at receiving financial assistance to help reduce traffic congestion by partnering with other affected cities.  Avondale approached the cities of Goodyear, Buckeye, and Tolleson about working together to pursue financial assistance.  The team of cities then turned to the State of Arizona and the federal government for help.

Avondale city staff collaborated with the Arizona Department of Transportation to apply for a grant to improve traffic flow.  City officials were elated when they were awarded $1.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation and Community and Systems Preservation Program for Interstate-10 traffic relief.