February 27, 2012
The Arizona Department of Transportation has announced that it will close Prince Road under Interstate 10 and the westbound I-10 entrance and exit ramps at Prince Road starting Monday (March 12), while construction continues on the I-10 Ruthrauff Road to Prince Road widening project. The closure will continue until late 2013, when the project is expected to be completed.
The federally funded $76.5 million project was awarded at the State Transportation Board meeting on July 15, 2011. Construction with traffic impacts in limited areas of the project began in September 2011, while utility relocation and work was under way.
When the project is completed, I-10 will feature four lanes in each direction from Ruthrauff Road to Prince Road, tying into the I-10 Prince Road to 29th Street widening project, which was completed in fall 2010. Additionally, the Prince Road traffic interchange will be reconstructed so motorists can pass over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and I-10.
The community and local jurisdictions have shown overwhelming support for the results of the project—smoother traffic flow, easier access to businesses and no delays for motorists due to passing trains.
What to expect the weekend of Friday (March 9) to Sunday (March 11)
- The Ruthrauff Road traffic interchange will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Sunday, while crews repave the area in anticipation of the I-10 Prince Road underpass closure. All entrance and exit ramps at I-10 and Ruthrauff Road will be closed during this time period. Motorists are advised to follow detour signage for I-10 access:
- To access I-10 from Ruthrauff Road, use the westbound frontage road.
- To access I-10 from El Camino del Cerro, follow detour signage to Grant Road.
- To access Ruthrauff Road from I-10, use Prince Road or Orange Grove Road exits.
- To access El Camino del Cerro from I-10, use the eastbound frontage road from the I-10 Orange Grove Road exit.
What to expect on Monday (March 12)
- Prince Road under I-10 will close until late 2013. Drivers are advised to use nearby Ruthrauff Road and Miracle Mile traffic interchanges as alternate routes.
- The westbound I-10 Prince Road entrance and exit ramps will close until late 2013.
- Runway Drive will be closed from Prince Road to Weymouth Drive for approximately 45 days as crews work to complete utility relocations.
Shuttle Service will start on Monday (March 12) for those who usually walk or bike from the east side of Prince Road/I-10 to the west side of Prince Road/I-10 and back
- The shuttle will start picking up passengers at 6 a.m. on Thursday at its first stop, which is the Sun Tran bus stop located on the north side of Prince Road, east of Flowing Wells Road.
- The shuttle will have only two stops: a pick-up stop and a drop-off stop. It will drop off passengers at Commerce Drive, between Business Center Drive and River Park Drive on the northwest corner of Commerce Drive and Benan Venture Drive.
- It will operate Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every 45 minutes.
- It will operate on Saturdays, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every 45 minutes.
- The shuttle will not operate on Sundays or on major holidays.
What to expect in the next 60 days
- In the 60 days following the initial closures, additional changes to traffic flow will occur. The eastbound I-10 Prince Road entrance and exit ramps and a short section of the eastbound frontage road will close as I-10 traffic is shifted slightly to the east side of the freeway, while construction crews work on widening I-10.
What to expect throughout the duration of the project
- I-10 will remain open with three lanes in each direction, including emergency access lanes, with only minimal short-term lane closures along I-10 in the project area when necessary.
- Access to westbound I-10 from Prince Road will remain closed and the westbound frontage road at Prince Road will remain closed.
- Access to all businesses in the construction area will remain available during construction. Drivers will use Ruthrauff Road to access businesses located along the eastbound frontage road near Prince Road, and signage will direct drivers to these businesses.
- ADOT has been working with the businesses in the project area for a few years before construction began and continues to work with them as construction continues.
Information assistance for motorists, businesses and the community during construction
- ADOT has established a toll-free project hotline number: 1.855.712.8530.
- Construction information, including the shuttle schedule, is posted to the project website, and traffic alerts with specific construction impacts are being sent to those who have subscribed to receive information.
- Anyone who wishes to receive traffic alerts may visit www.azdot.gov/tucson10widening to sign up.
- ADOT has also developed a business outreach program and is working in conjunction with the Regional Transportation Authority's MainStreet Business Assistance program.
For more information about this project please visit www.azdot.gov/statewide or contact Linda Ritter, Tucson District Senior Community Relations Officer, at 520.388.4266. Local media should contact the ADOT Public Information Office at 1.800.949.8057. Visit us on facebook or our web site for more information about ADOT. For more information about ADOT projects and programs across Arizona see the agency's latest blog posts.
