Founded in 1984 as Tucson Underground Contractors Association by Ed Snell, Tricon, Ben Luster, Luster Contracting, Godon Nelson, Nelson Pipeline, and Lucky Hurford of SAECO, represented local contractors only. Years following, the association changed its name in the mid-1990s to reflect and expand service offerings. Originally, a provider for underground contractors and their suppliers, then the association expanded when it began providing and promoting the general interest of utility companies. As the association expertise grew in both the underground and supplier industries, attention grew more common with utility businesses, thus the membership roster grew. “TUCA made it possible to review problems in the industry. The assistance of not just the contractors was the driving force to keep the association going. I often tell people that we were part of a great association, and I got to work with many other like-minded professionals of our industry. It’s very gratifying to help our industry succeed – and to play a role in their growth and development,” said founder Lucky Hurford.
Since then, the organization has been involved in many various beneficial accomplishments for both the industry and community. In 2006, we worked to help pass the Regional Transportation Authority (approximately $2 billion voter-approved sales tax over 20 years) and participated in efforts to secure funding for the modern streetcar. Recently, in 2012 the association also assisted in the City of Tucson passage of Proposition 409 ($100 million road repair bond) and the subsequent Proposition 101 sales tax ($150 million for public safety infrastructure investments and $100 million for roads). These milestones have already generated approximately a billion dollars in new investment for expanding and maintaining our roads, with nearly another billion still pending over the next decade. ATB also supports Proposition 463 ($430 million Pima County road bond) and Proposition 407 ($225 million City of Tucson Parks & Connectivity bond, of which more than $90 million is slated for road, sidewalk, and path improvements). If these both pass, this would represent about $2.75 billion in new mobility improvements and long-deferred maintenance throughout the region since 2006, not counting the 1997 HURF bond or 2004 general obligation bonds that paid for road improvements. Through the support of the membership, ATB had streamlined procurement processes and continue to work closely with local agencies on the topic. “Our success had largely been the by-product of our ability to bring added value to our members,” Chris Rogers, past President. “Our motto has always been we can assist with that.” Moreover, Rogers added that “the attitude – coupled with continuous investments in membership and the industry– has allowed us to build a rather unique association that others have not been able to emulate.
In 2014, TUCA amended its name to be the Arizona Transportation Builders Association (ATB) and is still a nonprofit organization consisting of more than 100 individual businesses and organizations in Southern Arizona. ATB represents both residential and commercial general contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, architects, engineers, construction industry service providers, public agencies and crafts people. The purpose of the Association is to educate its members and to preserve and promote the common interests of those in the construction industry who are engaged in the business of infrastructure (“Infrastructure”) construction, which includes, without limitation, the construction of such work as: utility lines; storm and sanitary sewers and drainage; water lines; irrigation and flood control projects; roads and streets; dams; airports and railways; and highways and bridges, whether any such work is a part of public or private projects. The association maintains the structure from 1984 and celebrates its 34th anniversary this year.
