South Mountain Freeway meetings starting next week will detail design plans

PHOENIX – Public meetings beginning next week will allow community members to review and provide feedback on updated design plans for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

The project development team, Connect 202 Partners, and Arizona Department of Transportation will hold three meetings on preliminary design plans that have been further developed since they were last circulated for public comment in 2013 along with the Draft Environment Impact Statement:

• Tuesday, Sept. 27, Desert Vista High School, Multipurpose Room, 16440 S. 32nd St., Phoenix
• Wednesday, Sept. 28, Betty Fairfax High School, Multipurpose Room, 8225 S. 59th Ave., Laveen
• Thursday, Oct. 6, Fowler Elementary School, Multipurpose Room, 6707 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix

The meetings are scheduled for 6-8 p.m., with a one-hour presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a question-and-answer session afterward. Following the presentation, attendees can visit various information stations and speak with project representatives until 8 p.m.

The meetings will provide information on the freeway’s location, profile, interchange configurations and noise barrier locations, as well as initial concepts for landscaping and visual appearance.

Construction of the South Mountain Freeway began last week with improvements to the Interstate 10/Loop 202 interchange in the East Valley. Work includes the extension of the existing Loop 202 HOV lanes and widening the shoulders from Pecos Road near 48th Street to the I-10/Loop 202 interchange. This initial phase of work will be completed prior to the construction of the mainline freeway, which is scheduled to begin in early 2017.

For those unable to attend, the presentations will be posted online following the first meeting. The public can provide feedback through Oct. 20:

• Online: SouthMountainFreeway.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1.855.SMF.L202 (1.855.763.5202), or para Español, 623.239.4558
• Mail: ADOT Communications, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007

The latest project information is available via the project website at SouthMountainFreeway.com, email and text updates (click “Subscribe for Updates” on the project website) and from the project hotline numbers (1.855.763.5202, or para Español, 623.239.4558).