Proposed Maricopa pedestrian bridge (Via City of Maricopa)
By Kimlye Stager | Pinal Central
MARICOPA — Agencies within Maricopa received millions of federal dollars for three projects this year including the railroad, irrigation and drainage, and agriculture research.
Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, along with now-former Rep. Tom O’Halleran, touted the major funding secured as part of bipartisan federal appropriations legislation:
- $2,846,076 for the Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District for the Santa Rosa Canal Project
- $1,478,000 for the U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center
- $2,700,000 for the Union Pacific Railroad Pedestrian Bridge/Crossing
Brian Yerges, general manager of Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District, said it “greatly appreciates the much-needed funding” from the Omnibus Appropriations bill to construct new conveyance facilities, replacing the use of the Santa Rosa Canal.
“This project will provide certainty by ensuring groundwater continues to be available to farmers in the Maricopa-Stanfield and Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage Districts while protecting water quality for the Ak-Chin Indian Community,” he said. “We would like to thank Senator Sinema, Senator Kelly and Congressman O’Halleran for their support of this project and all of our efforts to continue producing food and fiber for Arizona and the nation in the face of historic drought.”
