The Road Drop/Add Policy was approved in 2007 and since that time a total of 9.65 miles was dropped and 7.85 miles have been added in Supervisory District 3, leaving a balance of 1.8 miles.  At this time Supervisor Searle is requesting that 0.5 miles of Skyline Road be added in the Mescal area.  (Please see attached map.)  This segment of road is an extension of an existing County maintained road and serves several residences.
 
Per the Road Drop/Add Policy staff reviewed the road and reports as follows:

• Yes, the road was open and in use prior to June 13, 1975 as evidenced by a 1973 USGS 7.5 minute Mescal Quadrangle map.
• No, there is not a minimum width of 50 feet of public right-of-way.The adjoining property owners have agreed to dedicate 30 feet to the public with an additional spot drainage easement.
• Yes, there is a minimum average width of 18 feet or more of travelway.
• Yes, the road is contiguous to another County Maintained Road.
• Yes, the road is located within the same district as a dropped road.
• Yes, the road has a minimum ADT of about 50 or more.Actual count was 115 on 12/2015.
• Yes, the road has a safe driving speed of about 35 mph under most weather conditions.
• Yes, with the exception of mesquite vegetation that can be trimmed on a maintenance basis, the road is free of hazardous encroachments.
• No, drainage issues are not minimal. Please see detailed explanation below.
• Yes, only routine environmental permits will be required.
• Yes, there are no utility conflicts.
• Yes, substandard maintenance may be in accordance with ARS 28-6705 regarding Primitive Roads, except for drainage issues as noted.

Two of the items above that are required to be analyzed by staff per the Drop/Add Policy are not in favor of the addition. The adjacent resident’s unwillingness to dedicate the required 50 feet of right-of-way will limit the road to primitive maintenance unless additional right-of-way is donated in the future. However the maintained segment of Skyline Road immediately west also has only 30 feet of right-of-way dedication.
The drainage issue requiring gabion erosion protection would be a serious deterrent to acceptance except for Supervisor Searle’s agreement to pay the $18,800 cost. We believe this will minimize ongoing drainage maintenance costs in the future. However, the resident must understand that the maintenance level is limited to “primitive”, which will mean simple grading just a few times a year.
 
Drainage issues:
The road is downstream of a sizeable mis-aligned ADOT concrete box culvert that directs storm water flow under Interstate 10 and through the subject road.  The directed flow from the ADOT box culvert is currently eroding the channel bank and if left unprotected will cut through the subject road beyond the existing flow path (see attached aerial image, figure 2). 
 
This requires either 1) rebuilding the channel bank and road after every storm event or 2) constructing an erosion protected bank stabilization structure to eliminate the erosion along the bank and still maintain the clearing of sediment on the wash and road after every storm event.  Under the Add/Drop program the road will be eligible for primitive maintenance that does not allow for the purchasing or laying of cement (ARS 28-6705).  Therefore bank stabilization is limited to gabion structures without grouted protection.  In order to allow for the installation of cement the road would need to be established as a county highway and, due to highway liability, improved to an adopted standard, (which would need to be chip seal).
 
The adjoining property owner has agreed to dedicate an additional spot drainage easement for dip crossing maintenance and cleaning downstream of the road.