Crews are lifting heavy objects along Loop 303 in north Peoria
Crews are lifting heavy objects along Loop 303 in north Peoria
There are often times when progress on freeway construction takes place without much notice. That’s likely the case along a stretch of Loop 303 in north Peoria, where ADOT is managing a project to widen the freeway.
I’m guessing that many of you aren’t Loop 303 drivers - at least not on a regular basis. So you may not know that the freeway is being widened to three lanes in each direction between Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant parkways. We anticipate that the $20.3 million project will be completed early next year.
In addition to adding the new lanes, however, there is some major bridge construction taking place north of Happy Valley Parkway. Before you know it these bridges will carry Loop 303 traffic over the Beardsley Canal and over a traffic interchange that will provide a connection for the city of Peoria’s future Jomax Parkway.
Crews using large cranes recently lifted the girders into place for the bridges at the Jomax Parkway interchange. That’s no small feat, since each of the 28 girders is approximately 120 feet long and weighs about 90 tons. As our series of photos here shows, the girders are placed in 14 rows and secured with temporary bracing by the bridge builders. More recently, girders have been lifted into place for the freeway bridges over Beardsley Canal.
Since Loop 303 opened to traffic in this area in 2012, drivers in some locations actually have been using temporary lanes to the outside of the corridor (including areas where on- and off-ramps will be located). Plans have called for the current construction project to add the permanent mainline lanes of the freeway in areas like the Jomax Parkway interchange and Beardsley Canal crossing. So that’s why the bridges are being built now.
If you’ve been driving through that area and wondering, “Why are they building that bridge there?,” maybe this helps answer that question. It’s really about the “buildout” of the Loop 303’s lanes and looking ahead to the city of Peoria’s work to connect a new stretch of Jomax Parkway starting at Vistancia Boulevard and traveling down to the freeway.
As always, no matter the location, ADOT asks that you stay alert when approaching and traveling through all work zones. Please take that responsibility seriously. We’re looking out for you and your passengers. We hope you’re doing the same for those who are hard at work on Arizona’s growing transportation system.