Declining highway funds prevent road upgrades in Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) - Federal spending on roads and highways has dipped in Arizona, meaning congested freeways and bottlenecked interchanges in metro Phoenix aren't likely to be upgraded any time soon.

Revenue to Arizona from the Federal Highway Trust Fund declined 3 percent during the five-year period ending in 2013, the latest year for which federal numbers were available. Per capita highway funding for Arizona dropped by 8 percent in that time, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

The reductions translate to millions of dollars.