GOODYEAR – Crews working to build the last phase of the Loop 303/Interstate 10 traffic interchange in Goodyear have reached another milestone.

New stretches of separate north- and southbound Loop 303 frontage roads between McDowell Road and Van Buren Street opened to traffic as scheduled on Saturday, Aug. 19, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Technically, the new frontage roads still represent the stretch of Cotton Lane between McDowell and Van Buren. They now serve local traffic traveling north and south through the area of the larger freeway-to-freeway traffic interchange connecting Loop 303 and I-10.

The Loop 303 “Cotton Lane” frontage roads are located on either side of a new stretch of Loop 303 that’s under construction as part of the $63.5 million project to build the “south half” of the interchange with Interstate 10.

The entire interchange project, including elevated freeway-to-freeway ramps, is scheduled for completion by November. Work on the job started in February 2016.

The Loop 303/I-10 Interchange Final Phase project is part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by county voters in 2004. Funding sources include a countywide half-cent sales tax for transportation projects and the Phoenix region’s share of federal highway funds.

PHOENIX – A pavement-improvement project along Interstate 10 between the Gila River Bridge and State Route 587 (Casa Blanca Road) will require overnight lane restrictions and some ramp closures starting Sunday night, Aug. 20, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes if possible while the following restrictions are in place the week of Aug. 20-25:

• Eastbound I-10 narrowed to one lane near SR 587 from 7 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21 (Eastbound I-10 off-ramp at SR 587 closed). 

PHOENIX – Creating the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway’s interchange with Interstate 10 in west Phoenix is no small feat of engineering, starting with the need to have supports for flyover ramps to straddle existing lanes of traffic.

As is the case at other freeway-to-freeway interchanges around the Valley, this is being done with a structure known as a straddle bent. It is an alternative when a typical one-column pier carrying a ramp would need to be in the middle of an existing roadway. Instead, the straddle bent has multiple columns supporting a wide top, or cap, that in turn supports a ramp.

In construction, “bent” refers to a structure providing lateral as well as vertical support. The first South Mountain Freeway straddle bent, over the westbound lanes of I-10 near 59th Avenue, has two columns supporting a 140-foot-wide, 12-foot-high cap. On its own, it looks a bit like a giant concrete soccer goal.

Straddle bents are part of the freeway connections Valley motorists use every day. The flyover ramp from eastbound I-10 to northbound State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) in central Phoenix has a bent straddling the westbound lanes of I-10, while HOV ramp connections between those two freeways use three straddle bents over westbound I-10.

In all, seven straddle bents will be part of the South Mountain Freeway connection with the I-10 Papago Freeway, with the first going up after a series of weekend and overnight closures to allow large cranes to work.

This past weekend, Connect 202 Partners, the South Mountain Freeway developer, poured more than 400 cubic yards of concrete to complete the bent just east of the current I-10/59th Avenue interchange. The falsework that held the structure in place prior to the concrete pour will be removed in the near future.

In order to safely construct the seven straddle bents for the new I-10/Loop 202 system interchange at 59th Avenue, intermittent lane restrictions and closures of I-10 are needed regularly. Fortunately, ADOT minimizes the inconvenience to the traveling public by scheduling as much work as possible during non-peak hours, but because some of the work is occurring directly above the existing I-10, full closures are often necessary for the safety of motorists and construction crews.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

PHOENIX – Late-night motorists traveling on westbound Interstate 10 (Papago Freeway) at 59th Avenue should prepare for overnight closures early next week and lane restrictions the remainder of the month as crews work on the flyover bridge structures that will eventually connect to the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

Motorists using westbound I-10 toward the West Valley are encouraged to adjust their travel schedules to avoid the closures and lane restrictions, or allow extra travel time due to heavy traffic, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The following I-10 overnight closures and traffic restrictions at 59th Avenue are scheduled during July:

• Westbound I-10 closed at 59th Avenue from 9 p.m. Monday (July 10) to 5 a.m. Tuesday (July 11), from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday (July 12) and from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday (July 13).
• Westbound I-10 narrowed to one lane with brief intermittent closures at 59th Avenue from 9 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday (July 14) and from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday (July 15).
• Westbound I-10 narrowed to one lane overnight with brief intermittent closures at 59th Avenue from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 16-20) – ending at 5 a.m. Friday.
• Westbound I-10 narrowed to one lane overnight with brief intermittent closures at 59th Avenue from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 23-27) – ending at 5 a.m. Friday.

During freeway closures, westbound I-10 traffic will detour along the off- and on-ramps at 59th Avenue.

The scheduled restrictions are subject to change due to inclement weather or other unforeseen factors. The project team will update the schedule of planned restrictions if necessary.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

To stay up to date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov or call 511.

TUCSON – The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have begun a three-year environmental study of potential routes for the proposed Sonoran Corridor, which would connect Interstate 19 to Interstate 10 south of Tucson International Airport.

It begins with a comment period lasting through July 15, 2017, that encourages all members of the public to provide input on the Sonoran Corridor study area during a process known as public scoping. It is an opportunity to ask questions and share comments or concerns about topics such as potential locations for the corridor, environmental considerations, impacts on wildlife habitat or cultural resources, and possible opportunities for other transportation modes that may be considered.

Two public scoping meetings are scheduled:

• Wednesday, June 7, at the Radisson Hotel Tucson Airport, 4550 S. Palo Verde Road, Tucson
• Thursday, June 8, at the Santa Cruz Valley United Methodist Church, 70 E. Sahuarita Road, Sahuarita

Both meetings will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with a presentation beginning at 6 p.m.

All feedback, questions, and comments from meetings, and provided through other means, will be considered part of the study and entered into the project record.

The Sonoran Corridor has been identified as a critical transportation facility that would diversify, support and connect the economy of southern Arizona and the entire state. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) designated the Sonoran Corridor as a high-priority corridor, reinforcing the need to conduct a study for a future transportation facility that would potentially alleviate traffic congestion at the I-19 and I-10 traffic interchange and reduce travel distances south of the Tucson International Airport.

There is no timetable for building the Sonoran Corridor, and no funding has been identified for it.

The Notice of Intent to prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2017, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, which kicks off the formal environmental study process.  The purpose of the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement is to identify a selected corridor alternative, which could be the no-build option.

One of the first steps of the environmental study process is to develop a Corridor Selection Report to assess a wide range of corridor alternatives, along with opportunities and constraints.  Ultimately, this will result in a reasonable range of corridor alternatives that will advance into the Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement.  The Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will assess on a broad scale the potential social, economic and natural environmental impacts of the no-build option, as well as the reasonable range of corridor alternatives.  

Each corridor alternative will be approximately 2,000 feet wide and contain smaller segments that could advance as independent improvement projects. Smaller segments would be studied separately in a Tier 2 environmental document if a corridor alternative is selected.

Individuals who are unable to attend one of the scoping meetings can submit written comments in any of the ways below:

Online survey: azdot.gov/SonoranCorridor
Email: [email protected]
Toll-free bilingual information line: 855.712.8530
Mail:
    Sonoran Corridor Tier 1 EIS Study Team
    c/o ADOT Communications
    1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126
    Phoenix, AZ 85007

For more information about this study, visit azdot.gov/SonoranCorridor.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. Persons who require a reasonable accommodation based on language or disability should contact Kimberly Noetzel at 602.712.2122 or [email protected]. Requests should be made as early as possible to ensure the State has an opportunity to address the accommodation.

De acuerdo con el título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 y la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA por sus siglas en inglés), el Departamento de Transporte de Arizona (ADOT por sus siglas en inglés) no discrimina por raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, género o discapacidad. Personas que requieren asistencia (dentro de lo razonable) ya sea por el idioma o por discapacidad deben ponerse en contacto Kimberly Noetzel at 602.712.2122 o en [email protected]. Las solicitudes deben hacerse lo más pronto posible para asegurar que el equipo encargado del proyecto tenga la oportunidad de hacer los arreglos necesarios.

PHOENIX – Drivers on Interstate 10 should expect delays this week in the Harquahala Valley area west of Phoenix while Arizona Department of Transportation crews complete a pavement preservation project.

I-10 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Thursday between mileposts 63 and 70. Drivers should expect a reduced speed limit and delays during those hours.

Crews will be coating the roadway surface with a thin oil that seals cracks, rejuvenates the asphalt and prevents further cracking to extend the life of pavement. They will return later this spring after the oil has cured to re-stripe the roadway.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but weather or other factors can affect project schedules. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511.

TUCSON – A temporary bridge rolling into place Wednesday between the eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 10 at Craycroft Road will keep traffic flowing while the Arizona Department of Transportation replaces bridge decks there.

The $3.3 million project extending the life of the bridges at Craycroft Road will begin with eastbound traffic moving to the temporary bridge and crews working on the eastbound bridge deck. Westbound lanes are scheduled to move to the temporary bridge in June, when work shifts to the westbound bridge deck.

The payoff for drivers as this project continues through October: no detours, and only minor delays through the project area.

“This innovative approach will allow traffic on Interstate 10 to continue almost without interruption throughout this project,” said Rod Lane, district engineer for ADOT’s South Central District. “We’re excited that we can make improvements to the bridge surface without causing congestion on the only east-west freeway in Tucson.”