Work set to begin on SR 347 overpass in city of Maricopa

PHOENIX ‒ Work is about to get underway on a State Route 347 bridge spanning railroad tracks in the city of Maricopa.

On Monday, March 26, Arizona Department of Transportation crews are scheduled to begin clearing vacant homes acquired for the project along Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. While no major traffic restrictions are planned, drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and watch for workers and equipment.

ADOT is building a $55 million bridge that will carry SR 347 over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, just south of Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, where trains stop traffic as many as 60 times a day. The bridge will remove those delays for drivers and first responders, and create a safer trip through the heart of one of Arizona’s fastest-growing cities.

SR 347 is Maricopa's main transportation corridor and serves as a regional connector to major employment and recreation areas. Traffic averages more than 31,000 vehicles per day and is expected to reach 60,000 vehicles per day in 2040.

SR 347 will have a new alignment just east of the current highway, a move that will allow most of the work to be accomplished without restricting highway traffic. The new alignment will require minor changes to Honeycutt Road and a few other roads in the immediate area.

The project is on track to finish as scheduled by late 2019.

A $15 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant will cover a portion of the cost, with Maricopa contributing about $14 million.

Both Maricopa and ADOT are providing area residents with online tools to keep up with progress on the project. The city has created Overpass Tracker to share local news and information related to the project. The city also has an Overpass Tracker Hotline: 520.316.6910.