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Major progress underway with bridge girder, pavement work on I-10 reconstruction in Tucson

Major progress underway with bridge girder, pavement work on I-10 reconstruction in Tucson

February 27, 2024

Widening project from Ina to Ruthrauff now 40 percent complete

TUCSON – Some of the most visible work to rebuild a section of I-10 in the Tucson area is quickly progressing as work crews have now set more than 80 bridge girders in place and installed large sections of the new concrete driving surface.

Work is now 40 percent complete on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s project to reconstruct and widen I-10 between Ina and Ruthrauff roads, with work starting just less than one year ago.

A key element of the project involves placing 217 girders for nine new bridges, and most of those girders along I-10 will be set by the end of March. Meanwhile, work crews have completed 80 percent of concrete paving work and are now turning to concrete drainage features and barriers.

That concrete barrier work is key to a future milestone that will return drivers back to I-10 itself rather than using the current detour along frontage roads. Once the barrier work is complete by late summer, westbound and eastbound I-10 traffic will shift to the reconstructed freeway lanes.

When traffic returns to I-10, crews will then focus on finishing the Orange Grove Road interchange, which is expected to reopen in late 2024. 

After that, work shifts to the Sunset Road interchange. As part of that interchange work, ADOT will construct a project funded by Pima County that will extend Sunset Road east to River Road with new bridges over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the Rillito River.

The overall project will continue through late 2025, when the Sunset Road interchange will reopen.

ADOT will maintain access to local businesses throughout the project.

Other project improvements include:

  • Rebuilding the Orange Grove Road bridges to allow for higher clearance
  • New Orange Grove and Sunset road interchanges that will feature additional lanes on entrance and exit ramps to promote safety and reduce delays
  • Replacing all nine bridges in the project area, including those over Canada del Oro Wash and Rillito River
  • Constructing an access path to the Chuck Huckelberry Loop from Sunset Road
  • Related work on lighting, landscaping and drainage

The I-10 project is part of the Regional Transportation Authority’s roadway improvement plan, managed by the Pima Association of Governments.

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/i10ina2ruthrauff.