Work on Bell/Grand project includes getting the bridge ready for pedestrians

SURPRISE – A bridge that will carry Bell Road over Grand Avenue (US 60) will accommodate pedestrians as well as vehicles, and that’s the focus of some of the latest work on this Arizona Department of Transportation project.

Crews have been pouring concrete to create sidewalks on the overpass and doing other work to get the bridge ready for foot traffic. As that work moves toward completion, crews will add a pedestrian fence to the bridge in the next few weeks.

In the coming week, work also will include adding a barrier to the overpass, reconstructing lanes that will carry eastbound Grand Avenue, and adding to retaining walls and stabilized earth that will create on- and off-ramps and the bridge’s center.

The $41.9 million project is on track to reopen Bell Road on Nov. 22, though extreme weather and other unforeseen circumstances can cause delays. The entire interchange is scheduled for completion in spring 2017.

Bell Road is closed between 134th Avenue and West Point Parkway to reduce the project’s length and lessen the overall impact of construction. Drivers can access nearby businesses throughout.

Grand Avenue traffic through the project area is sharing what will be the westbound lanes.

The primary detour routes while Bell Road is closed are Dysart, Greenway and Litchfield roads. Drivers should observe signs and speed limits and note that law enforcement officers are patrolling.