The Town Council unanimously approved a professional services agreement amendment with Kimley-Horn and Associates to continue the design process for a project to widen Shea Boulevard through Fountain Hills.

The proposed project would widen Shea Boulevard to three traffic lanes and a bike lane its entire length through Fountain Hills. The segments that are not complete include eastbound between Palisades Boulevard and Technology Drive and westbound between Technology and Fountain Hills Boulevard.

Kimley-Horn was engaged by the Town in 2020 to provide a Design Concept Report as well as 15% design plans and an engineering cost estimate.

This new agreement engages Kimley-Horn in the final design phase of the project with a scope of work that includes 30%, 90% and final plans for construction, preparation of specifications and cost estimates, preparation of a FEMA letter of a map revision to address fill placed in Cereus Wash floodplain, a supplemental survey for Town fill areas and preparation of geotechnical investigation and analysis for shoulder compaction, maximum fill slopes and rockfall ditches.

The contract for this work is $229,795.

Public Works Director Justin Weldy said staff hears questions as to why this project is necessary. He notes that current traffic counts on Shea Boulevard at Palisades Boulevard are at 35,000 to 36,000 vehicles per day.

“Shea Boulevard is considered an arterial of regional significance,” Weldy said. “We have made a commitment to meet Maricopa Association of Governments’ projections to accommodate future traffic loads.

“Shea is the only connector from North Scottsdale and Northeast Phoenix areas to State Route 87 north of McDowell Road.”

Weldy said not proceeding with the design phase puts more than $2 million in MAG grant funding in jeopardy as it must be used for this project’s design, right-of-way acquisition and construction prior to 2026.