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.

An Arizona Department of Transportation project to make the interchange of Interstate 10 and Ina Road in Marana safer and easier to navigate kicks off next week, although significant roadway restrictions are still six months or more away.

Beginning Monday, July 11, drivers on Ina Road and I-10 should expect occasional delays as crews improve frontage roads and make other changes to prepare for work that includes building a bridge and interchange carrying Ina over the Union Pacific railroad tracks as well as widening I-10 and Ina, northwest of Tucson.

Among this early work:

• Overnight utility work will narrow eastbound I-10 to one lane from Cortaro Road to Ina Road between 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, and 5 a.m. Thursday, July 14. The eastbound I-10 off-ramp at Ina will be closed during this time.
• Westbound I-10 will be reduced to one lane between Orange Grove Road and Ina Road from 8 p.m. Thursday, July 14, to 5 a.m. Friday, July 15, with the westbound I-10 off-ramp at Ina closed during this time.
• Ina Road will be narrowed to one lane in each direction overnight between the railroad tracks and Camino de la Cruz, a quarter mile to the east, on Wednesday and Thursday nights, July 13 and 14, as well as the following week (July 17-22) so crews can remove and repave the center median islands.

Starting in early 2017, the $120 million project will require a roughly two-year closure of Ina Road as well as restrictions on I-10 for construction of the overpass and interchange.

“This is a very important project for this area,” said Rod Lane, ADOT district engineer. “Not only will these improvements allow traffic to move more quickly through this area, but it also will be safer for drivers who no longer will have to cross the train tracks.”

Drivers can expect lane closures to continue on the eastbound frontage road and Starcommerce Way from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for utility work. Crews also will build a ramp connecting Ina Road with the eastbound frontage road as well as four crossover ramps, two north of Canyon del Oro Wash and two more north of Massingale Road.

By the end of July, the westbound frontage road will close for the rest of 2016 while crews widen and improve the frontage road to handle westbound I-10 traffic when freeway construction begins in early 2017. Ina Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction during much of this work.

Drivers may want to consider alternate routes to save time, including Cortaro Road to the north of Ina and Orange Grove Road to the south.

The project is funded by the Regional Transportation Authority, managed by the Pima Association of Governments.

PHOENIX – Arizona is on track to receive a $54 million federal grant helping fund two key widening projects, and adding traffic-management technology that includes a dust storm detection and warning system, along Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson.

Members of Arizona’s congressional delegation have informed the Arizona Department of Transportation that the U.S. Department of Transportation has recommended awarding the FASTLANE grant under a program established by the 2015 FAST Act. This highly competitive program made $800 million in federal funds available to state departments of transportation.

Formal notification of FASTLANE grants is expected after a 60-day congressional review period.

“This is a major step forward as ADOT continually works to improve the I-10 corridor between Phoenix and Tucson,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “This corridor carries as many as 120,000 vehicles per day, and about 30 percent of those vehicles are trucks. It’s a highway that is vital to freight traffic and the need to keep Arizona competitive by accommodating daily business and travel needs.”

The anticipated award is for three projects on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson:

• Realigning and widening four miles in the Picacho area to three lanes in each direction while reconstructing the interchange with State Route 87.
• Widening four miles between Interstate 8 and Earley Road to three lanes in each direction while upgrading ramps at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard near Casa Grande.
• Making technology enhancements to improve traffic management and safety, including remote sensors to provide early warning of approaching dust.

The total cost of the I-10 improvement projects is $157.5 million. ADOT will provide $103.5 million of that amount.

The U.S. Department of Transportation evaluated 212 applications from states requesting a total of $9.8 billion for transportation projects, more than 10 times the available funding.

The two I-10 widening projects in the FASTLANE grant are included in ADOT’s 2017-2021 Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, which the State Transportation Board adopted in June. These two projects were accelerated from ADOT’s six-to-10-year development program due to additional funding through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act.

The 2017 budget signed by Governor Ducey included $30 million toward the I-10 widening projects, money that will be used as part of ADOT’s matching funds.

“We appreciate Governor Ducey and the members of the Arizona Legislature for supporting critical transportation projects in the state,” Halikowski said. “As one of Arizona’s Key Commerce Corridors, I-10 is an important route for travelers, commerce and international trade. This combination of state and federal funding will be a tremendous help to modernizing the highway.”

Once the two I-10 widening projects are complete, ADOT will have reached its goal of widening the entire stretch of I-10 between Casa Grande and Tucson to a six-lane divided highway.

PHOENIX – With strong winds in the forecast, especially for Friday, the Arizona Department of Transportation is taking steps to enhance safety on a stretch of Interstate 10 in southeastern Arizona that has seen significant blowing dust. That includes coordinating with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to close the highway when conditions warrant.

Dust blowing from a recently plowed tract of land near San Simon has severely limited visibility at times in the past week, prompting ADOT and DPS to close 62 miles of I-10 between US 191 and Lordsburg, New Mexico, on several occasions.

ADOT has reduced the speed limit along five miles of I-10 (mileposts 375-380) from 75 mph to 65 mph as long as visibility isn’t significantly affected. When conditions warrant, highway crews will reduce the limit to 45 mph by placing temporary signs.

ADOT also is using overhead message signs and portable message boards to advise drivers about weather conditions, including possible strong winds and blowing dust, and the lower speed limit.

ADOT and DPS will continue to monitor National Weather Service forecasts, which at this time call for strong winds in excess of 40 mph across much of Arizona on Friday. If there is a closure, eastbound traffic will be directed to US 191 and US 70 through Safford, re-entering I-10 at Lordsburg, New Mexico, while westbound traffic will do the reverse.

Those using I-10 through southeastern Arizona should be aware of the possibility of a closure and allow extra travel time.

Drivers should remain alert to possible blowing dust at other times this week and avoid driving into a dust storm or area with severe dust conditions. If you can’t avoid severe dust, consider the following tips that are included in ADOT’s “Pull Aside, Stay Alive” public safety campaign:

• Do not wait until poor visibility makes it difficult to safely pull off the roadway; do it as soon as possible. Completely exit the highway if you can.
• If caught by a dust storm, immediately check traffic around your vehicle (front, back and to the side) and begin slowing down.
• Do not stop in a travel lane or in the emergency lane. Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway.
• Turn off all vehicle lights, including your emergency flashers.
• Set your emergency brake and take your foot off the brake.
• Stay in the vehicle with your seatbelts buckled and wait for the dust to subside.

For the most current information about highway closures and restrictions statewide, visit ADOT’s Travel Information Site at az511.gov or call 511. Highway information also is available by following ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT).

PHOENIX ‒ Improving traffic flow and safety on Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. Helping commerce move on a state route between the border and Interstate 19 in Nogales. Rehabilitating an 850-foot-long bridge along Interstate 15 in northwestern Arizona.

Aiming to move forward sooner on those goals, the Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking $109.5 million through two highly competitive federal grant programs.

With $800 million available through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FASTLANE grant program, established under the 2015 FAST Act, ADOT has applied for $60 million and offered to provide $86.83 million in matching funds to be used in four ways along I-10 between the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas:

• Realigning and widening four miles in the Picacho area to three lanes in each direction while reconstructing the interchange with State Route 87.
• Widening four miles between Earley Road and Interstate 8 to three lanes in each direction while upgrading ramps at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard near Casa Grande.
• Making technology enhancements to improve traffic management and safety, including remote sensors to provide early warning of approaching dust.
• Conducting preliminary engineering and completing an environmental analysis for widening 27 miles of I-10 to three lanes in each direction between the Loop 202 Santan Freeway and approximately SR 387 in Casa Grande. Any plan to widen I-10 through the Gila River Indian Community would require an agreement with the tribal government.

“The impact of Interstate 10 on Arizona’s citizens and economy is huge. Improvements to this vital link between Phoenix and Tucson are critical to our quality of life,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Each element of the FASTLANE grant proposal will advance these efforts to continue improving I-10 and significantly benefit motorists and the flow of commerce.”

Meanwhile, ADOT has submitted Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant proposals for two projects:

• $25 million, with a proposed $39 million state match, to improve the 3.75-mile State Route 189 (Mariposa Road) in Nogales. Proposed upgrades to the route, which connects the Mariposa Port of Entry with Interstate 19 and Interstate Business 19/Grand Avenue, include a raised median and improving ramps connecting with I-19.
• $24.5 million, with a proposed $10.5 million state match, to rehabilitate Virgin River Bridge No. 1 on Interstate 15. Built in 1964 and located just east of Littlefield in the far northwestern corner of Arizona, the bridge has never undergone a major rehabilitation.

Both TIGER grant projects and the two I-10 construction projects in the FASTLANE grant are already part of ADOT’s plans, both through its current construction program and the Tentative Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program that’s receiving public input and awaiting a vote by the State Transportation Board.

For Virgin River Bridge No. 1, $33 million in construction funding is programmed for fiscal 2019. For SR 189, ADOT has recommended $64 million in fiscal 2021 for construction. For the I-10 projects, ADOT has recommended $85 million in fiscal 2018 for the Picacho area and $40 million in fiscal 2019 for Earley Road to I-8.

Winning grants would allow these projects to move forward faster and enable ADOT to redirect money toward other pressing needs.

“There are no guarantees when it comes to competitive grants, but success pays big dividends for Arizona,” Halikowski said.

Since 2012, ADOT has received a total of $43.6 million through 15 competitive grants, most of them administered by U.S. DOT. Much of that amount comes from TIGER grants for a planned railroad overpass on State Route 347 in Maricopa and the ongoing reconstruction of Virgin River Bridge No. 6 on I-15.

There will be plenty of competition from other states for FASTLANE and TIGER grants. For fiscal 2015, when ADOT won a $15 million grant toward the SR 347 project, U.S. DOT received 627 eligible applications worth $10.1 billion for the $500 million available. About $500 million is available in the current round of TIGER grants.

U.S. DOT is expected to announce awards from both grant programs later this year.

TUCSON – Final resurfacing of Interstate 10 as part of the 17-mile improvement project between Tucson and Benson is set to begin next week, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should allow extra travel time and use caution in the work zone while the pavement improvements are taking place over the next five weeks. Significant delays can be expected at times, especially during the peak morning and afternoon travel periods.

Initial I-10 restrictions are scheduled as follows:

• I-10 ramps at Empirita Road (Exit 292) closed intermittently in either direction from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday (April 25) for paving. When an exit ramp is closed, drivers can detour to the next exit, turn at the interchange and reach Empirita Road using the opposite direction of travel.
• Eastbound I-10 narrowed to one lane between the Cochise County line and the State Route 90 junction near Benson (mileposts 296-301) during daytime hours (approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Tuesday through Thursday (April 26-28) for paving. Please allow extra travel time and plan on delays while the improvement work is taking place.
• Westbound I-10 narrowed to one lane between the State Route 90 junction and the Cochise County line (mileposts 301-296) during daytime hours (approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Friday (April 29) for paving. Please allow extra travel time and plan on delays while the improvement work is taking place.

Project schedules are subject to change and ADOT will work to inform the public about any necessary adjustments of the planned restrictions. ADOT also will provide details about upcoming restrictions when schedules are finalized.

The $17.1 million I-10 Improvement Project involves enhancements to the highway in an area between the junctions with state routes 83 and 90. Improvements include replacement of the westbound I-10 bridge spanning Davidson Canyon. The entire project is scheduled for completion in June.

For the latest highway conditions across Arizona visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov or call 511. State highway updates also are available via ADOT’s Twitter Feed (@ArizonaDOT).

TUCSON – A bridge replacement project on westbound Interstate 10 between Tucson and Benson will require a 67-mile detour overnight from 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, to 5 a.m. Thursday, April 21.

Westbound I-10 motorists traveling toward Tucson should expect up to two additional hours of travel time and consider avoiding the stretch if possible, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Eastbound I-10 will remain open.

This is the third and final scheduled overnight closure to allow crews to replace the bridge at Davidson Canyon, between State Route 83 east of Tucson (Exit 281) and State Route 90 west of Benson (Exit 302).

The full westbound closure is needed to allow crews to pour the new bridge deck. Detour signs will guide westbound I-10 motorists south on SR 90 (Exit 302), west on SR 82 to Sonoita and north on SR 83 to reconnect with I-10 at Exit 281.

The $15.1 million improvement project includes replacing the bridge at Davidson Canyon, which was built in 1961 near milepost 285, and repaving three segments of I-10 totaling 17 miles between Tucson and Benson.

As part of the overall project, ADOT is currently repaving on-and off-ramps between Mescal Road/J-Six Ranch (Exit 297) and Empirita Road (Exit 292) and next month crews are expected to start the final paving with rubberized asphalt along the I-10 mainline.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. 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.