This week: Southern Arizona hosts three Interstate 11 public meetings
This week: Southern Arizona hosts three Interstate 11 public meetings
PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is holding three public meetings this week in southern Arizona as part of a three-year environmental study for the proposed Interstate 11.
The meetings in Nogales, Tucson and Marana are part of the public scoping process for a corridor stretching from Nogales to Wickenburg.
Participants will be able to meet and talk with members of the study team to ask questions, provide comments and stay involved. They’ll also be able to view maps of the corridor study area and mark up those maps with their ideas and comments.
The meetings run from 4 to 6:30 p.m., with presentations beginning at approximately 4:15 p.m. The same information will be presented at each meeting. Earlier this month, meetings were held in Casa Grande and Buckeye. The final meeting will be held in Wickenburg.
Tuesday, June 21
Nogales High School – Cafeteria
1905 N. Apache Blvd.
Nogales
Wednesday, June 22
Arizona Riverpark Inn
777 W. Cushing St.
Tucson
Thursday, June 23
Marana Middle School – Gymnasium
11285 W. Grier Rd.
Marana
Wednesday, June 29
Wickenburg Community Center
160 N. Valentine St.
Wickenburg
Planned as much more than a highway, I-11 is envisioned as a multimodal corridor connecting Arizona with regional and international markets while opening up new opportunities for mobility, trade, job growth and economic competitiveness.
The recommended I-11 corridor would likely follow US 93 from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge south to Wickenburg. The 280-mile corridor that is the focus of the current environmental study begins in Wickenburg and runs west of the Phoenix metropolitan area and then south to the Tucson area and then Nogales.
The current 45-day comment period allows Arizonans to provide input on the I-11 study area. It’s an opportunity to ask questions and share comments about topics such as potential locations for the I-11 corridor, environmental considerations, impact on wildlife habitats or cultural resources, and possible opportunities for other transportation modes, such as rail, that may be considered.
Those interested in commenting on the study but who are unable to attend a public meeting are encouraged to visit the study website at i11study.com/Arizona and complete an online survey. All feedback, questions and comments will be considered part of the study, are entered into the project record and will help shape the proposed I-11 corridor. The public comment period runs until July 8.
In March, ADOT, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, launched the three-year study. It began with a process called pre-scoping that included meetings with federal, state and local governments, resource agencies and planning organizations within the study corridor.
During the next three years, ADOT will develop an Alternatives Selection Report to assess a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints. A Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent improvements or projects. There will be a no-build alterative as well.
Input from the public, communities and other stakeholders will contribute to these two reports, as well as a Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that will list a selected corridor alternative.
In November 2014, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation completed a two-year feasibility study as the first step in the Interstate 11 process. In December 2015, Congress formally designated Interstate 11 from north to south in Arizona through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. While the designation doesn’t include funding, it does make the corridor eligible for federal funding in the future.
The public, communities and other stakeholders will have opportunities to comment through regular meetings, community events and other forums throughout the course of the three-year study. Right now, comments can be sent to:
- Online survey: i11study.com/Arizona
- Email: [email protected]
- Toll-free bilingual telephone hotline: 1.844.544.8049
- Mail:
Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007
For more information about the I-11 study, visit i11study.com/Arizona.