RTA Next – Planning for our region’s transportation needs

On March 10, 2026, voters in Oro Valley and across Pima County will be asked to consider RTA Next, a public-driven plan for improving our region’s transportation network. Voters will also be asked to consider a funding method, which would be a continuance of the previously approved half-cent sales tax. The RTA Next Plan will appear on ballots as Proposition 418. The half-cent tax will appear as Proposition 419. Voters would need to approve both propositions for the plan to move forward. We invite you to learn about RTA Next so that you are prepared to make your decision at the polls. Highlights and links from RTANext.com are provided below.

BACKGROUND FACTS

• The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is a state-established taxing district within the boundaries of Pima County.
• Established in 2004, the RTA has invested more than $1.6 billion in more than 1,000 transportation improvements across the greater Tucson region—including right here in Oro Valley. (See list of OV projects below.) To learn more about the RTA, click here.
• In addition to funding roadway improvement projects right here in Oro Valley (see list of OV projects below), the RTA also funds between 75% and 90% of Oro Valley’s transit system, Sun Shuttle Dial-a-Ride.
• The RTA’s current 20-year transportation plan, which expires on June 30, 2026, is funded by a half-cent sales tax. Both the plan and the sales tax were approved by voters in 2006.
  
  

ABOUT THE NEW PLAN: RTA NEXT

• The $2.67 billion investment plan, RTA Next, will support reduced congestion, improved mobility, enhanced and expanded transit, environmental protections, bicycle and pedestrian improvements and pavement rehabilitation.
• There is no tax increase with RTA Next. The new plan would be funded by a renewal of the half-cent sales tax for another 20 years. Both will require voter approval.
• For a one-page overview of what’s in the RTA Next Plan, click here. To view the plan in detail, including project maps, click here.
• A robust series of FAQs is available to help voters understand each of the plan’s six elements, including topics such as: mobility choices, fixing our roads, air quality, connectivity, economic growth, accountability, small business assistance and more. Click here for the full list of resources.
• To learn how the RTA Next plan was developed, including the public engagement process, click here.
• To learn more about the funding benefits of RTA Next, click here.
  
  

WHAT ABOUT ORO VALLEY?

Over the past 20 years, Oro Valley has benefited directly from 11 major projects that were part of the current RTA plan, including:

• 2021: La Cholla Blvd. widening, Tangerine to Overton ($27M)
• 2018: Tangerine Rd. widening, La Cañada to Shannon ($15M)
• 2015: Naranja Dr. improvements, La Cholla to Shannon ($3.5M)
• 2013: Magee Rd. widening, La Cañada to Shannon ($2.7M)
• 2013: Lambert Lane widening, La Cañada to Pusch View ($8.6M)
• 2010: La Cañada Dr. widening, Naranja to Tangerine ($6.1M)

RTA Next, if approved, includes several projects in and around Oro Valley, including:

• Widening Lambert Lane, Rancho Sonora Dr. to Thornydale ($55.2M)
• Improving Shannon Rd., Lambert Lane to Tangerine Rd., including Naranja Dr. to Ironwood Ridge High School ($25.8M)
• Widening Thornydale Rd., Cortaro to Tangerine ($97.9M)
• Widening Orange Grove, La Cholla to Oracle ($24.9M)
• Improving Ina Rd., I-10 to Thornydale ($16M)
• Building a new I-10 interchange at Tangerine ($25M, $160M-ADOT)

Each project also includes bicycle, pedestrian, and drainage improvements. 

VOTER INFORMATION

The March 10, 2026, vote will be an all-mail election, conducted by the Pima County Recorder’s Office. For complete details, please visit www.recorder.pima.gov and select “Voter Information” from the left-hand menu.

Please note these important dates:

• FEB. 9: Last day to register to vote in the RTA election.
• FEB. 11: Registered voters will start receiving their RTA Next ballots in the mail.
• FEB. 27: Last day to request an early ballot.
• MARCH 3: Last day to drop your ballot in the mail to ensure it arrives by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The County Recorder will provide ballot drop-off sites for voters who don’t mail them by March 3, or who would prefer to submit their ballot in person. Those details will be announced at a later time.