Read this whole article for a better update... I'm going to share the following from the end of the article...
One of the property owners present, Paul Shuffler, said a handful of property owners had been willing to help fund the project if it could be moved up in ADOT's calendar. Since that didn't seem likely, Shuffler said he thought it only fair that all property owners should be involved in some kind of development agreement with the city to ensure everyone paid their fair share. Another property owner, Bill Bowers, agreed that an improvement district was the only reasonable way to go.
Council directed staff to draw up a resolution to hire a legal representative to proceed with financing such a development agreement with the property owners, as well as to initiate a formal Intergovernmental Agreement with ADOT that would make official an earlier letter of intent calling for ADOT to finance 70 percent of the project, with the city funding the remaining 30 percent.
I consider this a positive sign of the times. There is so much potential for industry type of jobs and other opportunity in this area, but much work needs to be done. For the landowners to reach out publicly the way they did is certainly a great beginning to get the community on the same page. If they are willing to pony up in return for normal benefits and take some risk, I think the community would also be more willing as well.
I've said all along that this infrastructure is as important as any other Interstate related proposed project.
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