Roundabout opens at Target Range Road

PHOENIX – The first modern roundabout in Nogales is now open for drivers.

Located at State Route 189 and Target Range Road, the roundabout opened Tuesday morning, May 18, with a single travel lane. Construction continues on the second lane, and work on the roundabout is expected to be complete this summer.

As part of the SR 189 improvement project, the roundabout replaces stop signs facing drivers about a mile north of the Mariposa Port of Entry.

Roundabouts are considered safer and more efficient for drivers. They are safer because drivers entering the roundabout only have to look left for oncoming traffic, and crashes that may occur tend to be less severe because vehicles are traveling at slower speeds and in the same general direction. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, roundabouts reduce injury crashes by 75 percent and fatal crashes by 90 percent compared with traditional intersections. 

For more about roundabouts, please visit: /about/transportation-safety/roundabouts

The $134 million project to improve SR 189 between the international border and Grand Avenue also includes long flyover ramps connecting SR 189 with Interstate 19 that will avoid delays for international truck drivers and improve safety on one of Nogales’ busiest roads. ADOT anticipates the project will be completed by this fall.

SR 189 is a vital route for Arizona’s economy. About 80 percent of international commerce enters Arizona at Nogales and follows SR 189 and I-19 to reach markets across the country.

For more information on the SR 189 improvements, please visit azdot.gov/sr189. 

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