On the recommendation of town staff members, the Snowflake Town Council voted last week to mill and pave Snowflake Blvd. as its next Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) MAP-21 Program project rather than to widen Centennial Blvd.

Staff members proposed three road improvement projects for the next round of funding from the FHWA on June 3, 2014, Public Works Superintendent Terry Cooper explained at the June 23 council meeting.

The first was to mill and pave approximately one mile of Snowflake Blvd., which would start approximately a quarter-mile east of Old Woodruff Road and continue east for approximately one mile, ending approximately 500 feet east of the entrance into the Snowflake Heights Subdivision.

The second proposal was to widen Centennial Blvd., including a bike lane, ribbon curb, shoulder work and drainage improvements the entire length of Centennial Blvd. within the town limits, which is approximately 1.5 miles. This could be stretching the limits in respect to available funds.

The third was to reconstruct approximately a half-mile of Old Woodruff Road, which would be similar to what is being done on Seventh South. The length of the project would be based on the scope of work for the Seventh South project, as funding would be similar.

Cooper noted that after some discussion, the council approved the widening of Centennial Blvd. as the next federal-aid project, which is currently in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).

“We’re a year older and a year wiser,” said Cooper, noting that there are some rights of way issues on Centennial Blvd., and in order to qualify, they would have to have complete ownership of all rights-of-ways.

Cooper explained that the mill and pave project on Snowflake Boulevard would be more straightforward, and the town would probably get more for its money.

With the change of the project, the town may have the opportunity to accelerate the project to fiscal year 2016 for design and fiscal year 2019 for construction, according to Cooper. He acknowledged that they need to be proactive and get the easements on Centennial Blvd.

Cooper said that after participating in the majority of the process for the Seventh South reconstruction project, staff is recommending changing the project from the widening of Centennial Blvd. to the mill and pave of Snowflake Blvd.

The council unanimously approved the change for the next federal aid road project to Snowflake Blvd.