I-10

2019 will be busy year for ADOT in southern Arizona

2019 will be busy year for ADOT in southern Arizona

I-17 101 traffic interchange

2019 will be busy year for ADOT in southern Arizona

2019 will be busy year for ADOT in southern Arizona

January 28, 2019

PHOENIX ‒ Widening the last two stretches of Interstate 10 between Casa Grande and Tucson that remain two lanes in each direction. Opening a modern Ina Road traffic interchange with Interstate 10 in Marana. Launching a major upgrade to State Route 189, the 3.75-mile Nogales highway essential to trade with Mexico.

These are just some of the Arizona Department of Transportation projects finishing or starting in 2019 that are designed to make travel safer and more efficient in southern Arizona.

Four major projects that received a great deal of attention in 2018 are scheduled for completion this year:

  • ina-ew-aerial-1-28-19
    A new I-10 interchange is on track to open this spring carrying Ina Road traffic over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and greatly improving mobility and safety in a growing area northwest of Tucson. This $128 million project also is widening Ina Road to two lanes in each direction from I-10 west over new bridges crossing the Santa Cruz River, with full project completion expected this summer.
  • Crews will finish widening 4 miles of I-10 in Casa Grande between Earley Road and Interstate 8. This $43 million project, scheduled for completion by late summer, includes replacing the original bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard to accommodate three lanes in each direction.
  • Between Eloy and Picacho, crews are scheduled to complete a $72 million project widening 4 miles of I-10 to three lanes in each direction by creating new travel lanes. The improvements include a new State Route 87 interchange and a first-of-its-kind dust detection zone on 10 miles of I-10 to provide drivers with crucial safety information during dust storms. Completion is scheduled for late summer.
  • A $55 million overpass that will carry State Route 347 traffic over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in Maricopa is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019.

Design work is set to begin by June on the largest project of 2019: a $134 million upgrade of State Route 189, which connects the Mariposa Port of Entry with Interstate 19 in Nogales and carries a large share of produce entering the United States. Planned upgrades include flyover ramps to make a smoother transition between SR 189 and I-19 and a bridge over Frank Reed Road that will improve safety near Nogales High School. The two-year project is expected to be completed in 2021.

In Tucson, construction is scheduled begin this summer on a new interchange at I-10 at Ruthrauff Road. The $101 million, two-year project will be similar to interchange improvements at Ina and Prince roads.

Other major projects expected to begin in 2019 include replacing the 70-year-old Pinto Creek Bridge on US 60 east of Superior and repaving a 7-mile section of State Route 95 north of Parker. Bidding for the Pinto Creek work will take place early this year, while paving on SR 95 began earlier this month and is expected to continue until fall.

For more information on these projects, please visit azdot.gov/projects.

VIDEO: Out with the old bridges, in with the new

VIDEO: Out with the old bridges, in with the new

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VIDEO: Out with the old bridges, in with the new

VIDEO: Out with the old bridges, in with the new

January 25, 2019

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications

Today we're using a drone to provide a different perspective on work demolishing the old I-10 bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard in Casa Grande, part of a project widening 4 miles of the interstate to three lanes in each direction.

In between the bridges that are on the way out, you can see new bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard. On Jan. 9, we moved traffic to these bridges.

After the old bridges are removed, crews will add another lane and a full shoulder to each of the new structures.

The project is scheduled for completion in late summer at roughly the same time as another widening project just to the east between Eloy and Picacho.

I-10 ramps closed at I-8, Jimmie Kerr

I-10 ramps closed at I-8, Jimmie Kerr

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I-10 ramps closed at I-8, Jimmie Kerr

I-10 ramps closed at I-8, Jimmie Kerr

January 22, 2019

PHOENIX ‒ Arizona Department of Transportation crews have closed three Interstate 10 ramps in the area of a widening project in Casa Grande for the safety of drivers and work crews.

The ramps that will remain closed until the project is complete in late summer 2019 are:

  • Eastbound Interstate 8 to westbound I-10.
  • The eastbound I-10 on-ramp at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.
  • The westbound off-ramp at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.

All three ramps are in the area where ADOT crews are widening I-10 to six lanes between Earley Road and I-8 (milepost 196-200).

Traffic on eastbound I-8 should take westbound I-10 to the next exit at Sunland Gin Road (exit 200), exit and enter eastbound I-10 at Sunland Gin Road. 

Drivers wishing to enter eastbound I-10 at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard should follow Jimmie Kerr Boulevard south to Sunland Gin Road, then go west to reach I-10.  Westbound I-10 drivers can exit at Sunland Gin Road and then go north to Jimmie Kerr Boulevard, or exit at Florence Boulevard (SR 287, edit 194), re-enter I-10 eastbound and exit at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.

Traffic on I-10 was recently switched to new lanes and new bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard as work continues on the project. The original bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard are being removed and crews soon will begin work to add additional lanes and shoulders to the new bridges.

Along with a second widening project in Eloy, the work will make I-10 a six-lane freeway from Casa Grande to Tucson.

Old lanes recycled to help build widened stretch of I-10 in Eloy

Old lanes recycled to help build widened stretch of I-10 in Eloy

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Old lanes recycled to help build widened stretch of I-10 in Eloy

Old lanes recycled to help build widened stretch of I-10 in Eloy

January 22, 2019

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

What do you do with an old freeway when you’ve just built a new one?

In Pinal County, where we’re in the process of building new lanes of Interstate 10 near Eloy, the answer is an unexpected one: Recycle it.

Most of the time, freeway lanes are elevated slightly above the land on either side. That helps drain water when it rains, for example. Creating that elevation usually requires engineers to find additional dirt nearby, often from a borrow pit – nearby ground where removing the dirt won’t cause any environmental or economic problems.

But taking tons of dirt from one place and hauling it to another, sometimes over considerable distances, can be costly.

Now that both westbound and eastbound traffic has moved to the new lanes there’s no need for the old lanes. Arizona Department of Transportation engineers found a way to put the dirt, asphalt and concrete to a better use.

Almost as soon as westbound traffic started using the new lanes in December, we began removing the old lanes. By the time we’re done, we will have moved 16 lane-miles of freeway – 1 million square feet of asphalt, 30,000 feet of guardrail and tons of earth – to form the foundation of the new eastbound lanes.

The savings are considerable. The new I-10 lanes are only about 100 yards east of the old lanes, reducing the time and cost of moving materials from a distance borrow pit. The old guardrails that are in good condition will be saved and used in repair projects around Arizona.

Among the many recycling programs around Arizona, not one includes old freeways as a recyclable item. Not to worry. By putting old I-10 to use in building new I-10 in Pinal County, we’re doing our part.

VIDEO: A year of progress with more ahead on I-10 near Eloy

VIDEO: A year of progress with more ahead on I-10 near Eloy

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VIDEO: A year of progress with more ahead on I-10 near Eloy

VIDEO: A year of progress with more ahead on I-10 near Eloy

January 18, 2019

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

On most road-building projects, there’s a lot of work you don’t see. From building foundations for new travel lanes to pouring concrete deep into the ground to support bridges, the progress isn’t always visible to drivers passing by.

As you can see in the video above, that’s been anything but the case on the project widening 4 miles of I-10 between Eloy and Picacho. Over the past six weeks, here’s what has happened:

  • Westbound traffic moved to the new westbound lanes in early December.
  • Crews removed the pavement, bridges and guardrails from the old westbound lanes.
  • Eastbound traffic has been moved to new pavement that eventually will be used for westbound traffic, separated from westbound traffic by concrete barrier.
  • The new overpass connecting I-10 with State Route 87 has opened, including both westbound ramps and a temporary eastbound ramp.
  • SR 87 has opened north of I-10, allowing traffic to connect from the freeway to central Arizona.

Next up: Removing the old eastbound lanes, finishing construction of the new eastbound lanes and implementing the innovation dust detection system designed to give drivers information to make them safe in a dust storm. We're also recycling asphalt and other materials to create the base for the new eastbound lanes.

It's all scheduled to be done by early fall.

For I-10 widening project, ADOT is recycling the former roadway

For I-10 widening project, ADOT is recycling the former roadway

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For I-10 widening project, ADOT is recycling the former roadway

For I-10 widening project, ADOT is recycling the former roadway

January 18, 2019

PHOENIX ‒ Almost as soon as traffic on eastbound Interstate 10 started using new lanes through 4 miles of Pinal County between Eloy and Picacho this week, Arizona Department of Transportation crews began demolishing travel lanes that had been in use for more than 40 years. The same occurred in December when westbound traffic moved to new lanes.

But instead of finding a place to discard the old asphalt, concrete and dirt, ADOT engineers are using it to create the foundation for the new eastbound lanes that are now under construction.

“We need to build up the ground under the new eastbound lanes of I-10,” said Dave Locher, ADOT’s regional engineer and project manager. “Usually we have to haul material in from some off-site location, which can be expensive. But in this case the better answer was literally right in front of us.”

About 1 million square feet of asphalt, tons of earth from below the roadway surface and 30,000 feet of guardrail will be removed from the old lanes of I-10. Guardrail in good condition will be sent to maintenance yards around Arizona for use in other projects. The rest of the material will be moved 100-150 yards east to the new eastbound alignment.

In many large projects, crews create a “borrow pit” when they need additional dirt. The pit usually is located near the project, in a site where removing earth doesn’t create additional environmental or economic concerns. Hauling that extra dirt adds time and money to the project.

ADOT is expanding I-10 to six lanes between mileposts 209 and 213, as well as building a new interchange with State Route 87 and creating a first-of-its-kind dust detection zone in the area north of Picacho Peak. The new alignment is just east of the current freeway.

Along with a second widening project in Casa Grande, the work will make I-10 a six-lane freeway from Casa Grande to Tucson. Both projects are expected to be complete by fall 2019.

ADOT project will remove surface asphalt from eastbound I-10 stretch in Tucson

ADOT project will remove surface asphalt from eastbound I-10 stretch in Tucson

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT project will remove surface asphalt from eastbound I-10 stretch in Tucson

ADOT project will remove surface asphalt from eastbound I-10 stretch in Tucson

January 9, 2019

PHOENIX – Tucson-area drivers can expect minor overnight delays on eastbound Interstate 10 beginning this weekend as crews remove the unraveling surface asphalt layer between Ruthrauff Road and Miracle Mile (State Route 77).

Work will begin Saturday, Jan. 12, and is expected to be completed by Saturday, Jan. 19. Lane restrictions will be in place from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. until the work is complete.

Eastbound I-10 will remain open throughout the work, as will the eastbound frontage road.

With the top asphalt layer milled off, this stretch of I-10 will have a concrete surface while the Arizona Department of Transportation evaluates longer-term options. Concrete pavement is common throughout the state highway system and is as safe to drive on as the rubberized asphalt being removed from the eastbound lanes.

Explore sights and sounds from an I-10 bridge deck pour

Explore sights and sounds from an I-10 bridge deck pour

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Explore sights and sounds from an I-10 bridge deck pour

Explore sights and sounds from an I-10 bridge deck pour

December 17, 2018
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By Steve Elliott / ADOT Communications

When it comes to the art of transportation, few things are as striking as a bridge deck pour. In the video above and the photos below, a crew works through the night to put down concrete for the deck of an expanded I-10 interchange with Jimmie Kerr Boulevard in Casa Grande.

You'll even see a Bid-Well, the concrete-smoothing machine we told you about last week.

This effort is interesting beyond the wow factor, as it's a major step forward for a project widening 4 miles of I-10 to three lanes between Earley Road and Interstate 8.

I-10, Earley Road to I-8 Deck Pour_121218

Late next year, when ADOT completes this project and another underway between Eloy and Picacho, I-10 will be three lanes all the way between Tucson and State Route 387 near Casa Grande.

 

New westbound I-10 lanes to open at Ina Road in Marana

New westbound I-10 lanes to open at Ina Road in Marana

I-17 101 traffic interchange

New westbound I-10 lanes to open at Ina Road in Marana

New westbound I-10 lanes to open at Ina Road in Marana

December 6, 2018

PHOENIX – New westbound Interstate 10 lanes at Ina Road in Marana will open to traffic this weekend, another step forward for a two-year project improving traffic flow and safety at the busy interchange.

For most of the past year, both directions of I-10 between Orange Grove and Cortaro roads have been sharing the future eastbound lanes, separated by concrete barrier, as the Arizona Department of Transportation creates a modern Ina Road interchange to serve the growing area. I-10 will remain three lanes in each direction after the shift.

On westbound I-10, the right two lanes will be closed near Ina Road beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, to allow crews to move barricades and open the new travel lanes. The work is expected to be complete before 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 9.

The $128 million Ina Road interchange project, which began in late February 2017, is creating new bridges carrying Ina Road over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, eliminating the need for drivers to stop for the many trains that pass each day. Ina Road will be widened to two lanes in each direction from I-10 west over new bridges crossing the Santa Cruz River.

ADOT is overseeing the improvements, which are funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority. The town of Marana is contributing $7.9 million toward the cost of the new Santa Cruz River bridges west of I-10.

The work is part of an ongoing effort to improve traffic interchanges on I-10 throughout the Tucson area. Similar improvements at the Ruthrauff Road interchange are scheduled to begin in summer 2019.

As widening project advances near Eloy, westbound I-10 moves to new lanes

As widening project advances near Eloy, westbound I-10 moves to new lanes

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As widening project advances near Eloy, westbound I-10 moves to new lanes

As widening project advances near Eloy, westbound I-10 moves to new lanes

December 6, 2018

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

Those driving west Thursday morning on Interstate 10, just after Picacho Peak, were the first to experience one of the most significant changes since I-10 arrived in central Arizona more than 50 years ago.

But chances are they were halfway through 4 miles of the newest freeway pavement in Arizona before realizing that anything had changed. The tweet above shows traffic flowing there.

Almost a year to the day since we began clearing and grubbing to make room for a new, wider stretch of I-10, with three lanes in each direction, we’ve opened the new westbound lanes from milepost 213 to milepost 209 near Eloy. Eastbound traffic will move to new pavement about a month from now, separated by concrete barrier while temporarily sharing what eventually will be pavement only for westbound traffic.

Drivers may not notice because there isn't as much as a turn onto the new pavement. In fact, we’ve removed a slight turn to the left for westbound drivers, creating a straight road up to State Route 87. The road will go under a new interchange with SR 87, then veer left to reconnect with the existing westbound lanes.

Once everyone is on the new pavement, we’ll demolish the current lanes of I-10 over that 4-mile segment and use the dirt and cement as a base for the new eastbound lanes. Eastbound drivers will get their own new lanes sometime this spring.

Then we’ll do something that hasn’t been done before: building an innovative system to identify dust storms and give drivers the information they need to make smart, safe decisions when blowing dust makes it hard to see where you’re driving.

Together, more travel lanes and dust detection will make I-10 safer, which is the reason we’re doing all of this in the first place.