Can ASU Rise to Dominate the Struggling PRTA? This Rep Believes It!

State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-Casa Grande) engaged with members of the Pinal Partnership during a meeting at Arizona State University’s Decision Theater in Tempe on December 11, 2024. The session aimed to foster collaboration between local leaders and university researchers to address transportation challenges in Pinal County.

This initiative comes in light of the recent disbanding of the Pinal Regional Transportation Authority, which had operated for nine years with similar objectives. The decision left a void that ASU’s Decision Theater seeks to fill by providing valuable data-driven insights.

The researchers plan to collect extensive data from various stakeholders, including municipalities, tribal communities, and state and federal agencies. This information will facilitate the mapping of current and future transportation projects, while also identifying potential problems and proposing interactive solutions through visual data and simulations.

“Our expertise is in integrating complex systems to enhance understanding and improve decision-making,” stated Chelsea Dickson, Associate Director of the Decision Theater.

State Rep. Teresa Martinez, who introduced ASU’s Decision Theater to community leaders in August, expressed optimism about the collaboration. “It would be unwise not to pursue this opportunity given what ASU offers,” she remarked, endorsing the potential partnership.

In support of the partnership, both Martinez and Dickson noted that ASU President Michael Crow has approved the initiative, allowing it to utilize baseline university resources. However, additional funding from the county government will be necessary to move forward.

If the county decides to join forces with ASU, the next steps will involve submitting data and organizing focus groups to determine key questions and identify solutions derived from the findings. Martinez highlighted her satisfaction with the progress made, stating, “We’re finally getting to the starting line. Everything else was a warmup.” She emphasized the importance of a thorough process to ensure effective policy development.