South Mountain Freeway battle may not end with tribal vote

Despite Gila River Reservation residents' resounding "no" vote Tuesday, the battle over where the South Mountain Freeway extension will land may not be over. The unofficial returns of Tuesday's vote show 720 votes were cast against building the freeway extension, while 603 favored locating the thoroughfare on tribal land and 158 supported the current plan to build it along Pecos Road in Ahwatukee Foothills. The $1.9 billion, 22-mile freeway would connect Chandler and Laveen. Gila River residents and former District 7 Councilman Devin Redbird said the vote may not be the last say for his people. The Gila River constitution says an initiative can only include "yes" or "no" options, he said. "The council decided to look into the 'no build' route and add in a third option," he said, contending that violated the tribe's constitution and could make the vote invalid. Redbird said he will take his concerns to the local U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs office. "If they agree with me or come up with an opinion, then I would go ahead and initiate another referendum, a true referendum, which is either yes on Gila River or no on Gila River," he said.

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