Tucked among dozens of recommended Phoenix budget cuts is a study that is to determine the economic, employment and social impact of building Loop 202, the South Mountain Freeway, through Ahwatukee Foothills.

The $10,000 study is among the items the Community and Economic Development Department may eliminate if the proposed cuts are approved by the mayor and Phoenix City Council on April 5.

If the city decides not to conduct its own study, it will rely on the Arizona Department of Transportation's study of the impact of building the freeway.

The draft of ADOT's environmental impact statement will not be completed until January 2006 at the earliest.

Without the Ahwatukee Foothills study, some worry that the area's interest will not be served.

"I worry about that because ADOT is driven to show the purpose behind what they are doing," said Laurel Arndt, a member of the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee. "It would not be a balanced study if it doesn't look at the disadvantages of development there. ADOT is in the business of building freeways. They will find everything to support their cause."

The study would have been the second of its kind for the city. The first, completed in December, focused on 59th, 75th and 97th avenues, all possible freeway connections to Interstate 10 on the west side.

"One of the reasons we cut it was because Phase 2 (Ahwatukee Foothills) doesn't have as many alignments or alternatives as the west side and so there are fewer impacts," said Roberto Franco, director of the Community and Economic Development Department.

Councilman Greg Stanton agrees that a study of the impact to Ahwatukee Foothills may not be as needed as the west side. Stanton is focused on pushing the freeway south of Pecos Road, onto the Gila River Reservation.

"We wanted to do a companion study for the east alignment but obviously the west side is more important than ours because we know there are much better economic opportunities available south of Pecos Road," Stanton said. "In light of our budget problems we've got to make tough decisions."

In its budget the city has expressed concern that eliminating the study will reduce the "ability to lobby ADOT for its desired alignment, which could reduce the development of new jobs and retail sales revenue."

State Rep. John McComish, R-Phoenix, who is president of the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce, believes a study is needed.

"Considering the fact they've done a study on the west side, there should be a study on our section so they have a total picture when it comes time to negotiate with ADOT," McComish said. "I support efforts to cut back because of budget issues, but this is a small amount."

Stanton insists Ahwatukee Foothills will not be disadvantaged in the bargaining process even if a study is not completed.

"I believe that since it has been on the books for so many years, I believe ADOT wants the Pecos Road alignment," Stanton said. "But it will become a political decision."

The proposal to eliminate the study does not represent a turnaround in the city's anti-Pecos Road alignment stance, Stanton said.

"The public policy is the same," he said.

Pecos Road has been the sole southern route officially under study for the South Mountain Freeway since 1984 when voters approved that first half-cent sales tax.

The tax was intended to fund the Valley's transportation goals, which included constructing highways and finishing streets.

One of the aims of the Valley's transportation plan, as set forth by the Maricopa Association of Governments, was to erect a beltway around the city that would link the southeast portion of Interstate 10 in Ahwatukee Foothills to its West Valley corollary in Phoenix, Tolleson or Avondale.

Though initially a part of the county's transportation goals 21 years ago, the South Mountain Freeway was never built.