Buckeye SS4A Application Narrative.pdf
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Safe Streets and Roads for All - 2026 Implementation Grant Application Pro-Actively Reducing Risks for a Growing Buckeye May 20, 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Table of CONTENTS I. Overview 01 II. Location & Map 03 III. Response to Merit Criteria 06 • 01 Safety Need 08 • 02 Safety Impact 07 • 03 Implementation Costs 09 • 04 Engagement and Collaboration 10 IV. Project Readiness 10 Page 2 TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 1 I. Overview The City of Buckeye, Arizona (City) is one of the fastest- growing cities in the United States. Since 2000, Buckeye’s population has grown by approximately 1,730% to an estimated 114,000 people (2025) and is expected to continue growing. With more land available for future growth, Buckeye is projected to reach approximately 300,000 residents by 2040. The rapid population growth has led to an increased number of drivers and vehicles on Buckeye’s roads, raising exposure for life-altering crashes, and highlighting the importance of ongoing efforts to take a proactive approach to improve roadway safety and reduce crashes. Both the number of overall crashes and the number of crashes involving a fatality or serious injury ((Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI)) have continued to rise at almost the identical pace of population growth. From 2019 to 2023, a total of 4,427 crashes were reported for the Buckeye municipal planning area, which included 52 fatal crashes and 133 serious injury crashes, totaling 185 KSI crashes and 241 people killed or seriously injured. For consistency, the local crash data summarized in this application reflects the same five-year period from 2019 to 2023, which was accessed from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT); crashes occurring on Interstate 10 (I-10) are excluded from the local crash data analysis. Evaluating the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data (2019-2023), there were 76 people killed in fatal car crashes in Buckeye. With Buckeye’s population at 91,502 in 2020 (per the 2020 Census), the average annual fatality rate of the City of Buckeye is alarmingly high at 16.61 per 100,000 in comparison to the national 2023 fatality rate of 12.21. Figure 1: City of Buckeye, AZ - Rural/Urban and Areas of Persistent Poverty TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Arizona Buckeye Phoenix Tuscon Surprise Teravalis Coyote Ridge White Tank Mountain Buckeye Verrado Tartesso Skyline Regional Park Goodyear Wintersberg Phoenix Valley West Dixie Estrella Mountain Regional Park Estrella Dells Signal Mountain Wilderness/ Woosley Peak Wilderness North Maricopa Mountain Wilderness Project Area Analyzed Johnson Rd Bruner Rd Palo Verde Rd Wilson Rd Turner Rd Sun Valley Pkwy Rooks Rd Miller Rd Apache Rd Watson Rd Rainbow Rd Dean Rd Verrado Way Jackrabbit Trl Perryville Rd Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 2 Buckeye is committed to changing course and ensuring that KSI crashes don’t increase faster than population growth, and that KSI crashes are, in fact, reduced to zero. To that end, the City was awarded SS4A funding to create the Buckeye Transportation Safety Plan (TSP) through the FY2024 SS4A funding cycle. Buckeye’s safety action planning process began in early 2025 and was completed when the final TSP was approved by the Buckeye City Council on May 5, 2026. The plan identifies several goals, including the following: Plan and build safety improvements for all types of travel so that serious injuries and deaths do not increase faster than the population because EVERYONE deserves to travel Buckeye’s roadways without the risk of preventable, life-altering crashes. Table 1: Overview of Proposed Projects Requesting SS4A Funding To achieve this goal, the City of Buckeye is requesting $16,142,400.00 from the SS4A discretionary grant program to implement a group of engineering, education, and public safety infrastructure improvements that align with the Safe Systems approach to proactively reduce KSI crashes. The $16,142,400 SS4A funding request will be supported by the City’s match of $4,035,600, resulting in a total application cost of $20,178,000. The infrastructure project on Yuma Road: 237th Ln to 221st Ave, and Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave will address a major east-west arterial in Buckeye’s High-Risk Network (HRN) through deliberate and proven safety countermeasures that respond directly to KSI crash types in Buckeye’s urban area. Of Reconstruct high injury locations that are on the high-risk network on Yuma Road and at the Watson Road and West Sundance Avenue intersection. Safety based design elements include: • 22 High visibility crosswalk enhancements • Inclusion of backplate retro-reflective borders at 6 intersections • Lighting improvements at 6 intersections • Median reconstruction to remove negative offset left turns at 13 locations • Yellow change interval improvements at 6 signalized intersections • Changing signal operations to protect only left turn operations at 2 locations • Up to 3 intersections with leading pedestrian intervals • Signal timing optimization at 6 intersections • Restriction of left turns at 5 access points/intersections Launch a citywide safety education campaign targeted at changing driver behaviors. • Conduct a three-year citywide safety education campaign that includes pre- and post-campaign evaluation. Modernize public safety infrastructure to improve post-crash care with detection, response, and clearance efficiency upgrades. Upgrades to Buckeye’s traffic incident management system includes: • Expansion at the Real-Time Information Center • Equipment at the 911 Communications Center • Additional drones and docking stations for emergency responders • New traffic accident detection and investigation software and portable cameras TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 3 the 241 people that were killed or seriously injured, 12 occurred on the proposed project corridor, Yuma Rd, and at the Watson Rd / Sundance Ave intersection. Overall, the project will reconstruct 13 locations, including 6 signalized intersections, 5 unsignalized intersections, and 2 access points. A phased approach to deliver this project, as Group A and Group B are suggested to lower the construction impact on the traveling public. The three-year safety education campaign will be done at a citywide scale over three years throughout the City to address problematic driver behaviors: speeding, seatbelt use, distracted driving, impaired driving, and e-bicycle/motorcycle use. Addressing these behaviors through a coordinated, multi-year education campaign focused on seatbelt use, impaired driving, and distracted driving is critical to reducing preventable fatalities and serious injuries in Buckeye. These efforts will complement enforcement and infrastructure strategies identified in the TSP by increasing awareness, reinforcing safe driving habits, and targeting the primary contributors to severe crash outcomes. Focusing on these high-risk behaviors provides a cost-effective, data-driven approach to improving safety within developed areas where the City can directly implement and influence change. The request for expansion and modernization of components to improve traffic incident management (TIM), public safety infrastructure, will proactively address the post-crash care response with the goal of reducing response time, thereby saving lives. With a significant land-size footprint of the City that includes both rural and urban infrastructure, these improvements are vital to continue to reduce response time. Expanding four aspects of traffic incident management: detection, response, and clearance efficiency, will position Buckeye as a leader addressing large areas that have both rural and urban areas. The elements of this request include: • Real-Time Information Center: new mapping computer (1), security camera trailers (2), pole cameras (2), tethered drones (2), signal detector (2), mobile RTIC computer (2) • Equipment at the 911 Communications Center: new 911 stations (2), and a monopole for communications and intersection cameras (1) • Additional drones and docking stations as first responders’ program (5) • New traffic accident detection and investigation software (10) and portable cameras (2) II. Location & Map: As noted previously, the City of Buckeye is experiencing significant growth in both population and land development. The City’s current incorporated area is close to 400 square miles, comparable to Houston, TX, and over 100 square miles larger than neighboring Phoenix, while its planning boundary is over 640 square miles. As shown in Figure 1, the City is mainly a rural area, 90% agriculture/open space, with urban/population clusters that include industrial/commercial use and residential areas and has over 1,000 miles of roadways. On average, there are over 5,000 people moving into Buckeye per year. As land is developed, roadway ownership moves from Maricopa County to the City of Buckeye, which sets the roadway engineering design standards for arterials, while ADOT owns and operates the state highways and interstates (State Route 85 (SR-85) and I-10) that traverse the City. TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 4 Infrastructure Project: The proposed roadway safety improvement project is located on Yuma Rd from 237th Ln to 221st Ave, and at the intersection of Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave. Both locations are in the urban area of Buckeye, just south of the I-10 freeway. The majority of the neighborhoods adjacent to the projects are suburban single-family residential (57%) with complementary commercial development (12%). While the roadways and housing developments have places for people to walk and streets for people to ride bicycles, people primarily drive to get from place to place due to the overall expansive size of the City. An overview of existing conditions for Yuma Rd: 237th Ln to 221st Ave, and the intersection of Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave are outlined below, and additional information, including the proposed project elements, is explained in Figure 2 on page 5. • Yuma Rd from 237th Ln to Watson Rd is a 4-lane arterial with striped bike lanes, detached sidewalks, a raised median, and a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour (mph). • Yuma Rd from Watson Rd to 221st Ave is a 6-lane arterial with a striped bike lane, detached sidewalks, a raised median, and a posted speed limit of 45 mph • The Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave intersection provides access to major commercial development and provides only one turning lane per leg of the intersection, and the left turning lanes for each approach have a negative offset. • The Yuma Rd corridor supports 16,000 vehicles per day, which is the highest number of vehicles on an east/west arterial in the City. • Yuma Rd corridor: Supports the only bus route in the City, Valley Metro bus route #685, which runs along Yuma Rd and has stops at Watson Rd intersection, connecting the Buckeye Community Center and the Coyote Branch Library. Additionally, the Buckeye public-school districts have two bus routes operating on the corridor, with bus stops on Yuma Rd. • There are 6 signalized intersections along the corridor: None have reflective back plates, nor high visibility crossings, and 6 have negative offset, permissive turning movements. • There are 5 unsignalized intersections along the corridor: 2 have negative left turning offsets and either a crash history or are near another intersection. There are two access points to/from commercial areas, east and west of the Yuma Rd and Watson Rd intersection, with no turning restrictions that result in a high concentration of turning movement. Education Campaign: The proposed education campaign project will be done at a citywide level, which includes both rural and urban parts of the City, and areas classified as persistent poverty; see Figure 1 to visually review these areas. Public Safety Improvements: The request for public safety infrastructure will be done at a citywide level, which includes both rural and urban parts of the City, and areas classified as persistent poverty; see Figure 1 to visually review these areas. TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 5 TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Figure 2: 13 Group A Group B W. Sundance Ave N 0.1 Mi Signalized Intersection Unsignalized Intersection Access Point 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Yuma Rd. 8 9 10 11 12 Existing Conditions + Crash History = Proposed Improvements Group A Yuma Rd & 237th Ln #1: Negative offset left turns + 22 Crashes, 50% are rear-end crashes, and 1 pedestrian KSI = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders. Yuma Rd & 232nd Ln #2: Unrestricted turning movements + 1 left-turn and 1 pedestrian KSI crash = Construct restricted crossing to eliminate direct left turns and crossings. Yuma Rd & Watson Rd #3: Negative offset left turns + 124 Crashes, 31% are left-turn crashes, 3 KSI crashes = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, Mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders, Evaluate for leading pedestrian interval, Increase queue length for eastbound left turns and add in dual left turn, and Traffic signal modifications. Yuma Rd & Access Rd #4: Unrestricted turning movements + 19 Crashes, 79% are angle crashes = Construct a restricted crossing to eliminate direct left turns and crossings. Yuma Rd & Sundance Pkwy#5: Negative offset left turns + 23 Crashes, 43% are rear-end, 3 KSI crashes = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders. Group B Yuma Rd & 232nd Ave #6: Unrestricted turning movements + 1 left-turn crash and 1 pedestrian KSI = Construct a restricted crossing, left-in left-out (LILO). Yuma Rd & 230th Ave #7: Negative offset left turns + 2 crashes resulting in 6 people being seriously injured = Mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction. Yuma Rd & 228th Ln #8: Unrestricted turning movements + 4 crashes resulting 4 people being serious injured = Construct a restricted crossing - LILO. Yuma Rd & Rainbow Rd #9: Negative offset left turns + 31 Crashes, 42% are angle crashes, 4 KSI crashes = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders. Yuma Rd & 225th Dr #10: Unrestricted turning movements + 31 Crashes, 42% are angle crashes, 4 KSI crashes = a restricted crossing, left-in left-out (LILO). Yuma Rd & 223rd Ln #11: Negative offset left turns + 2 Crashes, 50% are rear-end crashes, 1 pedestrian KSI = Mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction. Yuma Rd & 221st Ave #12: Negative offset left turns + 22 Crashes, 50% are rear-end crashes, 1 KSI crash = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, Mitigate negative offset with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders, Evaluate for leading pedestrian interval. Watson Rd & W. Sundance Ave #13: Negative offset left turns + 74 Crashes, 45% are angle crashes = Photometric analysis and lighting improvements, Upgrade crosswalks to high visibility, mitigate negative offset left turns with median reconstruction, Backplate with retroreflective borders, add in dual left turn lanes, and evaluate for leading pedestrian interval. 237th Ln Watson Rd. 232nd Ave 230th Ave 228th Ave Rainbow Rd. 225th Dr. 221st Ln Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 6 III. Criteria #1 Safety Need: As Buckeye’s TSP outlined the complex safety problem and identified solutions, strategies, and projects, the proposed group of projects presented in this application for SS4A implementation funding directly address the urgency to remedy the roadway safety problem. Buckeye intends to address the safety and crash history, begin reducing KSI crashes, and prevent them from occurring. Buckeye is requesting funding for 3 project types: infrastructure, education, and improved public safety infrastructure. Each project addresses different crash types, contributing factors, and location-specific issues. These include the following: The proposed infrastructure projects on Yuma and Watson Roads are on the high-risk network (HRN) and were identified as a priority in the implementation program of Buckeye’s TSP. As part of the comprehensive crash analysis, the TSP identified high-injury locations and an HRN. Unlike methods that focus primarily on locations with a history of frequent crashes, the Buckeye HRN offers a proactive approach by identifying areas with an increased risk, even if they have not yet experienced a high number of incidents. An overview of the crash picture on Yuma and Watson Roads is noted below and detailed per location in Figure 2: • Yuma Rd corridor: Had 12 serious injury crashes between 2019-2023, 9% of all serious injury crashes in the City • Yuma Rd corridor: Of the 415 total crashes on the project corridor, 83% occurred at intersections. - The most common collision manners were rear-end (29%), angle (26%), and left turn (23%) - Five collisions involved non-motorized users – 3 pedestrians and 2 bikes – two of those resulted in serious injuries. - 35% of crashes involved a failure to yield to the ROW traffic, 25% of crashes involved speeding, and 6% involved impairment. • The Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave intersection has one of the highest numbers of crashes at intersections in the City: 74 crashes, 32% rear end, and 45% angle + left-turn crashes. The three-year safety education campaign will focus on addressing four major driver behaviors contributing to crash results based upon the data: speeding, seatbelt use, impaired driving, distracted driving, and e-bicycle use, as a recent rise in concern. The safety education campaigns will directly address contributing factors in KSI crashes and stakeholder input. Crash analyses conducted for the Buckeye TSP identified driver behavior as a contributing factor in a significant share of KSI crashes Citywide. While 241 people were killed or seriously injured across Buckeye between 2019 and 2023, a focused review of crashes within the developed areas shows that these severe crashes are closely tied to preventable driver behaviors. Approximately one in four severe crashes involved a single vehicle, the majority of which involved collisions with fixed objects. Within these crashes, speeding was a factor in 53%, impairment in 42%, and unrestrained drivers in 47%, indicating a strong relationship between driver behavior and crash severity. Addressing these behaviors through a coordinated, multi-year education campaign focused on seatbelt use, impaired driving, and distracted driving is critical to reducing preventable fatalities and serious injuries in Buckeye. The request for public safety infrastructure will expand four aspects of traffic incident management and will position Buckeye as a leader regarding municipalities that are large in size and have both rural and urban areas. The requested funding will support TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 7 improvements for Buckeye’s Real-Time Information Center (RTIC), the 911communications center, the drones as first responders (DFR) program, and video detection cameras at intersections, post-crash care, emergency response coordination, and prehospital blood transfusion activities. Due to the many factors that influence emergency response times, such as urban versus rural, topographical barriers, staffing size, and extreme weather events, it is difficult to compare specific agencies versus national averages. However, the current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 benchmark for fire department first unit response time is 4 minutes, whereas the Buckeye Fire 90th percentile response time is 8 minutes, 49 seconds. This is due to the lack of fire stations within Buckeye’s vast 640 square miles of response area. The Buckeye Police Department’s priority 1 response time is similar to the national average at 4 minutes, 54 seconds. Buckeye is constantly looking at ways to improve response times and post-crash care influences, which have been considered in the TSP. The continued population growth and roadway congestion will continue to challenge response times. #2 Safety Impact: As part of Buckeye’s approved TSP, there are recommended strategies and prioritized projects that incorporate proven safety countermeasures and known effectiveness to reduce KSI crashes based on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Proven Safety Countermeasures, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and Crash Modification Factors (CMF) Clearinghouse. Table 2 on page 8 outlines the three proposed projects, the related Buckeye’s TSP strategy identification number from the plan, and the anticipated effectiveness of this improvement. Of significant note, the public safety infrastructure elements include the expansion of existing timing optimization and drones as first responders. These facilities and the implementation of new technologies, such as signal improvements, will allow Buckeye to keep pace with population growth and maintain safety standards. By mitigating safety risks, it is anticipated that the roadways will be safer for all users, driver behavior will improve, and public safety will be enhanced to support the ultimate goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries in the City. #3 Implementation Costs: Table 3 on page 9 outlines the cost details of each project that is requested through this application. The request for funding for the infrastructure projects, complemented by a comprehensive education campaign and the public safety infrastructure improvements, employ the Responsibility is Shared via the Safe Systems Approach, which echoes the foundation of the Buckeye SAP Funding. These different types of projects together provide redundant measures across five pillars: safe road users, vehicles, speeds, roads, and post-crash care. As noted in Table #, the anticipated reduction in crashes and KSI crashes is significant. Funding these projects together will take a proactive, safe systems approach to reduce Buckeye’s high fatality rate of 16.61 motor vehicle traffic deaths per 100,000 people. TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 8 Table 2: Safety Impact of Proposed Projects Requesting SS4A Funding Infrastructure Proposed Project Elements Buckeye TSP Strategy Anticipated Effectiveness High Visibility Crosswalk Enhancements (6 intersections, 22 crosswalks) ID 17 15 to 70% reduction in single vehicle/pedestrian crashes Inclusion Of Backplate Retroreflective Borders at 6 Intersections - 15% reduction in total crashes Lighting Improvements at 6 Intersections ID 12, 17 53% reduction of single-vehicle / pedestrian crashes Median Reconstruction at 13 Locations on the Corridor (26 medians) ID 3, ID 13 5 to 57% reduction in angle, left-turn, and rear-end crashes Yellow Change Interval Improvements at 6 Signalized Intersections ID 25 8 to 50% reduction in speeding-related crashes Additional Protected Only Left Turn Operations at 2 Signalized Intersections ID 5 38 to 100% reduction in failure to yield crashes Up to 3 Intersections with Leading Pedestrian Intervals ID 17 15 to 70% reduction in single-vehicle and pedestrian/ bicyclist crashes Signal Timing Optimization at 6 Intersections ID 1 15 to 64% reduction in rear-end crashes Restriction of Left Turns at 5 Access Points/ Intersections ID 13 5 to 56% reduction in rear-end and pedestrian/ bicyclist crashes Education Campaign 3 Year Safety Education Campaign ID 23, ID 20, ID 21 1 to 3 Stars Public Safety Infrastructure Real-Time Information Center Expansion ID 31 These elements are anticipated to help Buckeye safety response teams keep pace with future population growth and increase roadway congestion 911 Communications Center Expansion Drones as First Responders’ Program Expansion Video Cameras at Signalized Intersections Expansion TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 9 Table 3: Costs of Proposed Projects #4 Engagement and Collaboration: The City of Buckeye recognizes that proactive communication and meaningful public engagement are essential to the success of transportation safety projects. Buckeye maintains communications guidelines that establish a consistent framework for how the City communicates construction projects to residents, businesses, stakeholders, media, and City leadership. City guidelines outline roles and responsibilities for City staff, as well as a five-phase communications plan with objectives, recommended outreach tools, and key information to be shared during each phase of project development and implementation. These procedures ensure transparency, consistency, and continued public involvement throughout planning, design, construction, and implementation. In the development of Buckeye’s TSP, the planning process included a two-phase public engagement process that identified widespread community support for enhanced roadway safety improvements throughout the City. During public engagement, residents, businesses, and community stakeholders were asked to identify transportation safety concerns and locations perceived to be unsafe. Public feedback, specifically 15 people, identified recurring concerns along the proposed Yuma Rd corridor and Watson Rd and West Sundance Ave intersection, including limited turn-lane capacity, speeding, access management challenges, and conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. This demonstrates strong community awareness of existing roadway risks and support for targeted safety improvements. From community input gathered during the development of Buckeye’s TSP, the most concerning behaviors identified were: Failure to Yield Speeding Distracted Driving The proposed infrastructure improvements are site-specific along Yuma and Watson Roads that serve a rapidly growing and diverse population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates, the block groups immediately surrounding these roadways contain an estimated population of 24,441 residents, approximately 65% of whom identify as minority populations. These corridors also serve residents with varying transportation needs, including commuters, school-aged children, and individuals with limited access to alternative transportation options. By prioritizing improvements in areas with documented safety concerns and significant underserved TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Proposed Projects Total Cost SS4A Request Buckeye's Local Match Infrastructure Group A: Locations #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 $9,218,000 $7,374,400 $1,843,600 Group B: Locations #6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 $8,319,000 $6,655,200 $1,663,800 Infrastructure Sub-Total $17,537,000 $14,029,600 $3,507,400 Education Campaign 3 Yr Education Campaign $625,000 $500,000 $125,000 Education Campaign Sub-Total $625,000 $500,000 $125,000 Public Safety Infrastructure Improving Traffic Incident Response Elements $2,016,000 $1,612,800 $403,200 Public Safety Sub-Total $2,016,000 $1,612,800 $403,200 Total $20,178,000 $16,142,400 $4,035,600 TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 10 populations, the project supports equitable investment in underserved communities and advances the City’s goal of reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all users. The proposed public safety infrastructure activities will extend throughout the City (50% of which is identified as an underserved community by the USDOT) and include safety education, public awareness, and stakeholder coordination initiatives designed to improve traffic safety outcomes across the broader community. If awarded funding for this project, the City will continue engaging residents and stakeholders throughout all phases of project delivery by utilizing a combination of public meetings, stakeholder workshops, digital engagement tools, social media, project webpages, construction notifications, and coordination with community organizations and local businesses. These project elements will require leveraging partnerships with regional agencies, such as MAG and other stakeholders, to support the implementation of identified strategies and maximize long-term safety benefits. Section IV: Project Readiness The City of Buckeye has the experience to accomplish this group of projects within the 5-year time frame of the 2026 NOFO and account for the federally required process. Examples of prior Federal grant experience include grants received from the U.S. DOT, U.S DOJ, HUD, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Treasury. Buckeye’s operating standards include, but are not limited to, Buy America, civil rights, ADA, and Davis Bacon. The City of Buckeye has a full-time Capital Improvement Program Department (CIPD), which has successfully completed over 20 projects similar to this proposed project. Buckeye was the sole administrator of these projects. If awarded, this project will be included in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Per required processes, Buckeye will contract with ADOT for construction administration, and the project will be included in the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). Buckeye understands federal project development milestones, as well as a history of delivery for all types of proposed projects with federal funding, stable local funding sources, and local political support. The CIPD uses outside consultants to create structure and construction documents, which are subsequently reviewed and approved by the City staff. The CIPD conducts a construction bid process to select the contractors to execute the planned project. Thereafter, seasoned CIPD staff oversee, monitor, and inspect the project from start to completion. This includes, but is not limited to, permits, traffic control, inspections, and closeout. After the 60% design stage, Buckeye will identify the ROW needs and begin ROW acquisition. Buckeye will obtain appraisals of the needed ROW, contact the landowner, and begin the acquisition process. Based upon past experience and familiarity with the proposed project, project risks, such as procurement delays, environmental uncertainties and approvals, increases in real estate acquisition costs, lack of legislative approval, and other risks that may affect the likelihood of a successful project start and completion, have been taken into account through the budget and scheduling process. Infrastructure projects are anticipated to be a categorical exclusion (CATEX) based on working in the City’s right-of-way. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process has not commenced, but due to Buckeye’s familiarity with this project and experience with prior similar projects, and the project scheduling allowance that was incorporated, Buckeye does not anticipate that the NEPA will be a no-go milestone. Additionally, the same applies to local regulatory approvals and permits. All Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 11 required real property and right-of-way acquisitions will be completed in a timely manner in accordance with 49 CFR part 24, 23 CFR part 710, and other applicable legal requirements and have been appropriately scheduled. The proposed infrastructure improvements are intentionally structured as two independent projects within the same geographic corridor to improve delivery flexibility, reduce implementation risk, and maximize the likelihood of timely advancement through ADOT-administered procurement and environmental processes. While both projects support the same overall safety objectives, one segment anticipates a small need for right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation activities, while the other can advance without those constraints. Separating the projects allows one segment to continue progressing if unforeseen issues delay the other, reducing the risk that a single issue could stall the entire corridor investment. From a delivery perspective, dividing the effort into two projects increases procurement efficiency through ADOT’s existing Project Development On-Call (PDOC) consultant contracts that are federally compliant. This avoids the longer timelines associated with full and open procurement for a larger project. The approach is also expected to improve construction competition and pricing by creating project packages that are more attractive and manageable for a broader pool of contractors. Finally, if the SS4A request is not fully awarded, the City retains the flexibility to advance one project independently, ensuring meaningful safety of the entire corridor program. Improvements can still move forward without requiring full funding of the entire corridor program. If awarded funding through SS4A, the City of Buckeye will commit to the complete construction of the two infrastructure projects within 5 years, completing the education campaign within 4 years, and the public safety infrastructure within 1 to 3 years, all prior to the grant requirement of completing projects within 5 years. The NEPA and permitting process will be procured as part of engineering services. An early action item to be completed is to determine which analysis is required –CATEX, Environmental Assessment /Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI), or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Buckeye’s expectation is that this project will be CATEX. Infrastructure Projects: The City of Buckeye is proposing to design and construct the infrastructure improvements through two projects: Group A: Locations #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Group B B: Locations 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. Table # outlines the proposed project delivery schedule for the two infrastructure projects. Comprehensive Education Campaign and Public Safety Infrastructure: These projects will follow a slightly different schedule due to the nature of the projects. The Education Campaign will be a service-based project, and the Public Safety Infrastructure project will be procurement-based. Figure 3 on page 12 outlines the proposed project delivery schedule for the two infrastructure projects, the education campaign, and public safety infrastructure purchases. TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness Safe Streets and Roads for All 2026 Implementation Grant Application Page 12 TOC I. Overview II. Location & Map III. Criteria IV. Project Readiness