$25M Grant Will Fund Bridge Replacement On Tucson's 1st Avenue

TUCSON, AZ — Tucson is getting a $25 million federal boost to help pay for a long-planned overhaul of 1st Avenue, including replacing the aging Rillito River bridge.

The city announced it was awarded a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The funding will help pay for improvements along 1st Avenue between Wetmore Road and River Road, a voter-approved project backed by the city and the Regional Transit Authority.

City officials describe 1st Avenue as one of Tucson's key north-south corridors, serving commuters, businesses, transit riders, freight traffic and emergency responders traveling across the Rillito River.

The Wetmore-to-River segment carries a total price tag of nearly $49.7 million. The federal grant will cover about half of the cost, while the remaining $24.7 million will come from RTA Next, the regional transportation plan approved by voters in 2026.

"This is a tremendous success for Tucson," Mayor Regina Romero said. "Years ago, our community chose to invest in this corridor by approving the Regional Transportation Authority, and this award helps us deliver on that commitment."

Romero also credited Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, the U.S. Department of Transportation and regional partners for helping secure the funding. She said the project will make the corridor "safer, more reliable, and better connected for the thousands of people who depend on it every day."

The project calls for replacing the existing Rillito River bridge and reconstructing about a mile of 1st Avenue between Wetmore and River roads. Plans also include ADA-accessible sidewalks and curb ramps, separated paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, upgraded traffic signals and improved drainage.

Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl, whose district includes the corridor, said the improvements will make the roadway safer for nearby neighborhoods and schools.

"For the residents who live on First Avenue, safety is paramount and these investments significantly increase that safety," Dahl said.

Design work on the broader 1st Avenue project is about 30% complete, and the city plans to gather additional public feedback in August before moving into final design. Construction on the Wetmore-to-River segment is expected to begin in 2028, with later phases of the corridor following.

The BUILD grant program received nearly 1,200 applications requesting more than $14.5 billion this funding cycle. The U.S. Department of Transportation ultimately awarded funding to 127 projects across 52 states and territories, totaling $1.73 billion.