GOODYEAR – With each strand of reinforcing steel put in place and each truckload of earth moved, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s $63 million project to complete a traffic interchange linking Loop 303 with Interstate 10 in the West Valley continues to take shape.

Plans call for the “south half” of the interchange, which includes extending Loop 303 south from Thomas Road to Van Buren Street, to open to traffic by late fall. This work started nearly a year ago.

In all, four new freeway-to-freeway ramps are being built to complete the remaining direct connections between the two freeways. Sections of two elevated ramps rising above I-10 are being built on top of steel falsework, or temporary construction supports.

Crews working on the elevated ramps have been able to limit restrictions for drivers on I-10 thanks to an engineering decision made before the north half of the interchange was opened in 2014. During that earlier work, ADOT also built sections of ramps for the current south half project that are located directly above the interstate. As a result, crews have avoided working directly over busy I-10 traffic while the remaining ramp construction takes place.

Other major work ahead includes opening a new southbound Loop 303 frontage road later this spring to temporarily allow both north- and southbound local traffic to travel through the interchange work zone while remaining construction continues. Crews also will add the concrete pavement for Loop 303 in the area where the future freeway travels beneath I-10 toward Van Buren Street. 

Also south of I-10, the Loop 303 bridge over Van Buren Street will be completed this spring to allow east-west traffic on the local street to start traveling beneath the structure. Traffic on Van Buren Street is currently moving through the area on a temporary construction bypass that was put in place last year.

When open to traffic, the new ramps at the Loop 303/I-10 interchange will allow direct connections between the freeway and Cotton Lane south of Van Buren Street. Southbound traffic on Loop 303 will be able to travel beneath I-10 to Cotton Lane rather than being required to exit at Thomas Road. Northbound Cotton Lane traffic approaching Van Buren Street will be able to transition directly onto northbound Loop 303.

Meanwhile, local traffic will also be able to use Cotton Lane between McDowell Road and Van Buren Street in the form of separate north and southbound frontage roads. Interim ramps pointing south from Van Buren Street will allow the connections to or from those Cotton Lane frontage roads.

The interchange construction involves more than transportation improvements. It has also included earthwork to create stormwater basins and a channel to direct excess runoff southward into a new regional flood control system leading to the Gila River.

The Loop 303/I-10 interchange 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 MAG region’s share of state and federal highway funds.

PHOENIX – There is never a good time to close a freeway, particularly one as busy as Interstate 10, but it’s absolutely necessary to ensure the safety of the traveling public and construction workers preparing for construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway interchange at 59th Avenue.

Closing westbound I-10 lanes in the project area over the coming weekend and eastbound lanes over the following weekend will allow the Arizona Department of Transportation and Connect 202 Partners, the developer for the South Mountain Freeway, to widen the median and create a safe zone for the work to come.

A lot of time-intensive work goes into that, starting with placing nearly four miles of temporary concrete barrier on each side of the widened median when westbound I-10 is closed this weekend between 51st and 75th avenues. Next weekend, nearly four miles of temporary concrete barrier will go in along eastbound I-10 (toward downtown Phoenix) between 75th and 51st avenues.

With travel lanes shifting outward to accommodate the wider median, crews also must work around the clock over these two weekends to remove lane striping and restripe lanes.

ADOT selected the weekends of Feb. 10-13 and Feb. 17-20 for these closures, each scheduled to last from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, to keep the South Mountain Freeway project moving toward completion by late 2019. The timing also avoids spring training baseball, the NCAA Men’s Final Four Basketball Championship and the recent Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. 

Work on the interchange won’t start right away, but before long crews will begin using this median work zone to remove the cable barrier, add pavement and allow access for utility and bridge-related work, including direct HOV lane access east of 59th Avenue to and from the future Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway toward downtown Phoenix.

In addition to the traffic interchange, improvements for the South Mountain Freeway will include widening I-10 from 43rd to 75th avenues with merge lanes in each direction and adding two-mile-long access roads to improve traffic flow between 51st and 67th avenues. The new access roads will carry two lanes of traffic in each direction parallel to I-10.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway 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.

For more information on the South Mountain Freeway, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

Highway conditions are available via ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov or by calling 511.

MARANA – While Ina Road will close at Interstate 10 for 25 months starting Wednesday, Feb. 15, the Arizona Department of Transportation is maintaining access to area businesses throughout construction of a modern traffic interchange serving a growing area.

In early 2019, motorists and area businesses will benefit from a bridge carrying Ina Road traffic over both I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, with ramps connecting to I-10.

“We are excited about how these changes will make Ina Road safer for drivers, but we also understand that such a large project can create challenges for business owners in the area,” said Rod Lane, ADOT’s district engineer in Tucson. “We want the community to know that customers can continue to do business with those companies throughout this work.”

ADOT and Marana officials are working together to maintain a smooth traffic flow at I-10 on both Cortaro and Orange Grove roads, the interchanges immediately west and east of Ina. ADOT engineers will monitor traffic on both roads and will make changes as needed.

Preliminary work on the $120 million project began last summer. While ADOT is overseeing construction, the Regional Transportation Authority, which is managed by the Pima Association of Governments, is providing funding for the new interchange. In addition, the town of Marana is providing $25 million for work that will widen Ina Road and reconstruct Ina Road bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

In addition to the Ina Road closure at I-10 beginning at 1 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15:

• The westbound I-10 frontage road is scheduled to close between the westbound I-10 on-ramp at Orange Grove Road and Cortaro Road beginning at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
• Massingale Road will be closed starting Feb. 15 at the westbound I-10 frontage road through late 2018 while the frontage road is reconstructed. Drivers should instead use Camino de Oeste north to Pima Farms Road west to Cerius Stra and Cortaro Farms Road to access the frontage road.
• The westbound I-10 frontage road closure north of the Orange Grove Road entrance ramp will remain in effect throughout the project.

The Regional Transportation Authority is offering a MainStreet Business Assistance Program to connect area businesses with resources including consulting services. For more information, visit RTAmobility.com (click on the MainStreet tab), call 520.792.1093 or email [email protected].

The Ina Road overpass will be approximately 25 feet above ground level. Other major improvements include:

• Widening I-10 so it can eventually accommodate four lanes of traffic in each direction.
• Expanding Ina Road to two lanes in each direction west of I-10; Ina will remain two lanes in each direction east of I-10.
• Reconstructing and updating the frontage roads and I-10 on- and off-ramps to meet the new profile of Ina Road.
• Constructing two new bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.
• Adding pedestrian underpasses at the two new Santa Cruz River bridges.
• Installing landscaping that will draw inspiration from the Sonoran Desert.

TUCSON – Proposals to improve traffic flow along Interstate 10 and State Route 210 connecting downtown Tucson with I-10 will be the subject of a public meeting in Tucson on Feb. 15.

The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will host the meeting that begins the second phase of a study to determine how best to improve mobility along Interstate 10 from Interstate 19 to Kolb Road, southeast of downtown Tucson.

The study also will help to identify a new alignment for State Route 210 (Barraza Aviation Parkway) to connect downtown Tucson with I-10 southeast of downtown Tucson to help reduce congestion in that area.

The meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the El Pueblo Regional Center (in the Activity Center building), 101 W. Irvington Road. The formal presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m.

The event, the first in a series of meetings to encourage public involvement with the study, will include display boards showing options being considered for both routes. After a brief formal presentation, residents will have the chance to speak with project team members to ask questions and share ideas.

Public comments will be accepted during the meeting and on the project website. The deadline to submit comments is March 21.

The first phase of the study, completed in 2015, included an engineering feasibility report that examined future transportation needs and potential corridor improvements to both I-10 and SR 210.  This phase, expected to be completed by 2019, includes the preparation of a Design Concept Report and Environmental Assessment.

For more information and opportunities to provide comment on the Interstate 10 and State Route 210 Feasibility Study, visit azdot.gov/i10sr210study.

PHOENIX – Drivers should be prepared for blowing dust and reduced visibility along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The National Weather Service says gusty winds were recorded in the Casa Grande area today and the Department of Public Safety reported areas of blowing dust crossing I-10 southeast of Phoenix.

Dust along portions of I-10 is just one of a number of weather-related issues motorists may encounter across the state due to the third in a series of winter storms in recent days.

Drivers should use caution as additional snow, windy conditions and icy spots on highways can still be expected in the state’s high country.

ADOT will continue to monitor information from the National Weather Service as the latest winter storm impacts travel in many areas.

In some locations, including I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson, winds may continue to kick up dust and limit visibility. When that happens, the Arizona Department of Transportation has some straightforward advice: Pull Aside, Stay Alive.

If a dust storm approaches, try to exit the freeway if you can do so safely. If you’re caught in blowing dust, follow these safety tips from PullAsideStayAlive.org:

• Immediately check traffic around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
• Don’t wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway.
• Don’t stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane.
• Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers. You do not want other vehicles approaching from behind to use your lights as a guide, possibly crashing into your parked vehicle.
• Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
• Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the storm to pass.

As for travel in areas expecting more snow, winter driving tips are available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

To stay up to date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, call 511 or follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT).

PHOENIX – With Valley drivers benefiting from several freeway improvement projects completed during 2016, including the widening of Loop 101 between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) in the Scottsdale area, the Arizona Department of Transportation is poised to start or complete several Phoenix-area projects in the coming year.

ADOT’s highlights for the regional freeway system in 2017 include:

• Beginning construction of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. Work scheduled for the first half of 2017 includes setting foundations for some of the 40 bridges planned, widening eastbound lanes of Pecos Road to accommodate two-way traffic during construction, creating access roads near the freeway’s future interchange with Interstate 10 in west Phoenix and creating drainage structures. This 22-mile direct link between the East Valley and West Valley will open by late 2019.
• Opening the south half of the Interstate 10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear by fall. The $63 million project, launched last February, will complete freeway-to-freeway ramps and extend Loop 303 south to Van Buren Street. Loop 303 traffic will then have direct connections to and from Cotton Lane south of I-10. The north half of the I-10/Loop 303 interchange opened to traffic in August 2014.
• Resurfacing an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 17 between 19th and Peoria avenues in Phoenix in spring 2017. Crews will add a new layer of smooth, durable rubberized asphalt along the Black Canyon Freeway when warmer spring weather provides the best conditions for the resurfacing work. Rubberized asphalt, which has been used on Valley freeways for several years, includes rubber from shredded recycled tires as part of the pavement’s mixture.
• Completion of the new Bell Road/Grand Avenue interchange in Surprise by spring 2017. The $42 million project started last February. Crews opened the new bridge carrying Bell Road over Grand Avenue and the parallel BNSF Railway tracks on Nov. 22. New ramps connecting Grand Avenue to and from the Bell Road bridge are scheduled for completion in time for the Cactus League baseball season in late February.
• Installing Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) traffic-management technology between Ray and Broadway roads in Mesa. The project, scheduled to start by summer 2017, will add several overhead message signs, closed-circuit traffic cameras and traffic-flow sensors along the Santan Freeway. The technology allows ADOT to provide travelers with updated freeway conditions. A current ADOT Freeway Management System project along Loop 202 between Dobson and Ray roads is scheduled for completion in spring 2017.

ADOT’s 2016 Valley freeway construction accomplishments include:

• Completing $109 million in Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) improvements between Loop 101 and Broadway Road, adding new travel lanes between Loop 101 and Gilbert Road, extending HOV lanes by 11 miles between Gilbert and Broadway Roads and resurfacing the roadway with rubberized asphalt.
• Completing $74 million in Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) improvements between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) in the Scottsdale area, a project that added new right lanes and paved 11 miles of roadway with rubberized asphalt.
• Widening Loop 303 to three lanes in each direction between Grand Avenue (US 60) and Happy Valley Parkway in the northwest Valley, a $30 million project that wrapped up in 2016 with rubberized asphalt paving.
• Performing preliminary construction for the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.  Work began in September with improvements to the I-10/Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange in the Ahwatukee area.
• Opening State Route 51 ramps to and from Black Mountain Boulevard at the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) interchange. ADOT teamed with the city of Phoenix on this $17.8 million project to improve access in the Desert Ridge area of northeast Phoenix.

ADOT works with the Maricopa Association of Governments, the Phoenix area’s metropolitan planning organization, to schedule and deliver projects as part of the 20-year Regional Transportation Plan approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. Funding sources include a countywide half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements as well as the Phoenix region’s share of state and federal transportation funds.

Some of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s biggest projects this year will occur in southern Arizona.

ADOT will continue replacing the interchange at Ajo Way (State Route 86) and Interstate 19 in Tucson. A project to create a modern interchange at Ina Road and I-10 in Marana will advance to include a two-year closure of Ina Road starting Feb. 15, making way for construction of a bridge carrying a widened Ina Road over the interstate and Union Pacific railroad tracks.

A project scheduled to begin later this year will advance plans for a dust detection and warning system on I-10 between Eloy and Picacho, helping to make travel between Tucson and Phoenix safer through an area prone to sudden blowing dust.

Other 2017 projects include the first use in Arizona of a temporary bridge to keep traffic flowing while crews repair I-10 bridges over Craycroft Road in Tucson. In February, crews will assemble the ready-made bridge and then slide it into place for use by one direction of travel when that bridge is being worked on. The bonus for drivers as this project continues until late summer: no detours.

East of Tucson, ADOT is planning a $400,000 project this summer to install traffic lights at I-10 interchanges with Kolb, Rita, Houghton, Wentworth and Wilmot roads, helping accommodate increasing traffic to and from this growing area.

Crews began preliminary work last summer on a $120 million project to create a modern Ina Road/I-10 interchange in Marana, but the greatest impact on drivers will begin in February, when ADOT closes Ina Road at I-10 for two years. When work is completed, a bridge will carry a wider Ina Road – two lanes in each direction – over both I-10 and railroad tracks that carry between 40 and 60 trains a day.

The Ina Road/I-10 project is funded in part by the Regional Transportation Authority, managed by the Pima Association of Governments. The Town of Marana is providing $25 million for work that will widen Ina Road and reconstruct Ina Road bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

On Interstate 19 in Tucson, work will continue on a $40 million, two-year project rebuilding the traffic interchange at Ajo Way (State Route 86). When completed in summer 2019, the interchange will carry a wider Ajo Way over I-19 and feature a new intersection that controls all traffic entering and exiting the freeway at a single point rather than at multiple locations.

The project, the first of two phases of improvements in this growing area of west Tucson, also includes: widening Ajo Way from two to three lanes in each direction between 16th Avenue (east of I-19) and the Santa Cruz River bridge (west of I-19); widening the southbound I-19 off-ramp at Irvington Road to provide an additional turn lane and increased capacity to prevent traffic from backing up onto the interstate; reconstructing Lamar Avenue west of I-19; and repaving Elizabeth Drive and closing off access to Elizabeth Drive.

Between Tucson and Casa Grande, preliminary work is scheduled to begin later this year on a $12.8 million dust detection and warning system along 10 miles of I-10 between Eloy and Picacho Peak. When it detects dust approaching the interstate, the system will trigger safety measures including reduced speed limits and electronic message boards. This project, made possible by a $54 million federal FASTLANE grant also helping fund two widening projects between Casa Grande and Tucson, will be completed in 2019 with the widening of four miles of I-10 near State Route 87 in Eloy to three lanes in each direction.

Among other notable southern Arizona projects in 2017:

• Work will continue through May on a $4.3 million project replacing the State Route 92 bridge over the San Pedro River between Sierra Vista and Bisbee. The bridge will be replaced one half at a time while a temporary traffic signal controls vehicles moving in both directions.
• In Nogales, residents, business owners and others will have the chance to provide input on alternatives for improving State Route 189, also known as Mariposa Road, a 3.75-mile stretch connecting Interstate 19 with the Mariposa Port of Entry. The meeting is expected to be held later this winter.

For information about other current and planned projects in Greater Arizona, visit azdot.gov/projects.

MARANA ‒ The Arizona Department of Transportation is moving toward the next phase of creating a modern Ina Road interchange with Interstate 10 in the growing community of Marana northwest of Tucson.

The project, with a total construction cost of $148 million, will relieve traffic congestion by widening I-10 and by carrying a widened Ina Road over Union Pacific tracks that carry between 40 and 60 trains a day.

“When we complete this project, this area will be better for drivers because they no longer will need to wait for trains or cross the tracks on their way to work,” said Rod Lane, district engineer for the Arizona Department of Transportation’s South Central District. “The added lanes on both Ina Road and I-10 should allow traffic to move through the area more efficiently.”

Last week, the Arizona State Transportation Board approved a contract for Sundt/Kiewit, A Joint Venture, to move forward with construction after six months of preliminary work.

Ina Road will close at I-10 on Feb. 15 and is scheduled to remain closed for a little more than two years. During this time, I-10 will be shifted through the work zone, and drivers who ordinarily would enter and exit I-10 at Ina Road should consider using Cortaro or Orange Grove roads (click on the graphic to see the map at full size).

Access to businesses will be maintained throughout.

The project is funded by the Regional Transportation Authority, managed by the Pima Association of Governments. In addition, the Town of Marana is providing $25 million for work that will widen Ina Road and reconstruct Ina Road bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

ADOT is managing the project.

Preliminary construction began last summer with utility work, improvements to frontage roads and construction of a ramp from Ina Road to the westbound frontage road. Ina Road has remained open at I-10 but has been restricted to a single lane in each direction.

In addition to an Ina Road overpass that will be approximately 25 feet above ground level, other major improvements include:

• Widening I-10 so it can eventually accommodate four lanes of traffic in each direction.
• Expanding Ina Road to two lanes in each direction; Ina currently is one lane in each direction west of I-10 and two lanes in each direction east of I-10.
• Reconstructing and updating frontage roads and entrance and exit ramps to meet the new profile of Ina Road.
• Landscaping along the project area that will draw inspiration from the Sonoran Desert. 

The project includes reconstructing the Ina Road bridges over the Santa Cruz River. This work will close the Pima County Loop Trail, south of Ina Road at Ted Walker Road and north of Ina Road at the Crossroads at Silverbell District Park, for approximately two years beginning in mid-January. When the trail reopens, there will be underpasses on each side of the Santa Cruz River, new access ramps to Ina Road and new bike lanes and sidewalks along Ina Road.