I-10

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

January 16, 2018

TUCSON ‒ Removing the bridge that once carried westbound Interstate 10 traffic over Ina Road was the first step in what will be a busy 2018 in the Tucson area for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Tucson will see the completion of the first phase of renovations at Ajo Way and Interstate 19, the near completion of a new interchange at I-10 and Ina Road and a project to ease congestion at I-10 interchanges serving fast-growing areas east of downtown Tucson.

At Ajo Way (State Route 86), ADOT has created a single-point urban interchange, the third in the Tucson area with a single set of traffic signals controlling all traffic movements. After the first phase of the project is complete this spring, ADOT will prepare for the 18-month second phase of work, which will widen Ajo Way and I-19, create a new Ajo Way bridge over the Santa Cruz River and construct a new Michigan Avenue pedestrian bridge over I-19.

The first phase of the Ajo Way project cost about $40 million, and the second phase is estimated to cost $27 million.

On the last weekend in January, westbound I-10 traffic at Ina Road in Marana will begin sharing the new pavement that now carries eastbound traffic, with a concrete barrier separating the directions of travel. The move will allow construction crews to build the eastern half of the Ina Road bridge and complete the remaining work to widen both I-10 and Ina Road. The project, which also includes a second new bridge carrying Ina Road over the Santa Cruz River, is on schedule for completion in early 2019.

ADOT is overseeing the $128 million Ina Road project, which is 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 bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

East of downtown Tucson, ADOT will continue making improvements to several interchanges to improve traffic flow. In 2017, ADOT added a traffic signal and a right turn bay at the end of the Houghton Road eastbound exit ramp. Beginning this spring, crews will start adding traffic signals at the eastbound 10 exits for Wilmot, Rita and Kolb roads, with the work scheduled for completion before the end of the year. At Rita Road, crews will add a right turn lane on the eastbound exit and a second merging lane for the westbound on-ramp.

2018 will be a big year for Pinal County improvement projects

2018 will be a big year for Pinal County improvement projects

2018 will be a big year for Pinal County improvement projects

2018 will be a big year for Pinal County improvement projects

January 1, 2018

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

Get ready, Pinal County. A big year is beginning.

Four major projects – three of them along Interstate 10 between Picacho and Casa Grande – will begin in earnest in January. All four will keep our engineers and construction crews busy for the next two years, making transportation in Pinal County smoother and safer.

Construction crews have already begun moving dirt east of I-10 in Eloy to add a third lane in each direction between Eloy and Picacho. Our crews will create a new interchange with State Route 87 and create a new alignment to the east of the current travel lanes. The added lanes will reduce congestion and make the road safer.

At the same time, we’re also building a dust detection system unlike anything that has been done in the U.S. Short- and long-range radar systems will help identify when blowing dust is creating a hazard for drivers, while electronic message boards and variable speed limits will get information to drivers that can help them make safe decisions.

The two projects, which are being done at the same time to coordinate the work, will cost about $58 million and are expected to be complete in fall 2019. Most of the work will be done away from the current travel lanes, meaning few restrictions and delays during the work.

In mid-January, the State Transportation Board will consider awarding the contract for widening a second section of I-10, between Earley Road and Interstate 8. The estimated $40 million project also includes replacing the bridge at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard and other improvements. Completion of that project is expected by late 2019.

And 20 miles up Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, work is set to begin on a bridge that will carry State Route 347 over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, eliminating frequent delays and increasing safety on the city’s busiest roadway. The $55 million project also is scheduled for completion by late 2019. Like the other projects, most of the work will be done away from current travel lanes, reducing delays.

The animation at right shows what the bridge is going to look like.

Four projects, a $150 million investment in Pinal County transportation and a boost for one of Arizona’s most-important key commerce corridors. We can’t wait to get going.

 

South Mountain Freeway: What a difference a year makes

South Mountain Freeway: What a difference a year makes

South Mountain Freeway: What a difference a year makes

South Mountain Freeway: What a difference a year makes

December 28, 2017

Salt River Bridge Construction - September 2017

By Dustin Krugel / ADOT Communications

Nearly one year after major construction began on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, the state’s largest single project ever, signs of progress abound in the 22-mile corridor. You'll see some this progress (of Salt River bridge construction) in the slideshow above, and many more photos are available on our South Mountain Freeway Flickr page.

This progress is good news for Valley motorists, as the South Mountain Freeway is going to bring traffic relief when it opens by late 2019.

Throughout this year, crews have relocated utilities, started work on bridges, built sound walls and made significant progress on freeway-to-freeway ramps taking shape at Interstate 10 and 59th Avenue in the West Valley.

Through the end of November, more than 3.6 million cubic yards of dirt had been moved to build bridge and wall foundations, embankments and connecting ramps. Eight miles of drainage pipe was installed and 5.8 million pounds of reinforced steel planted. That's according to ADOT and Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for building the freeway.

Some of the highlights:

Pecos segment (32nd Lane to I-10 Maricopa/Loop 202 Santan Freeway)

  • An interim Pecos Road supports local traffic while mainline freeway construction occurs just north of the roadway
  • Overpasses at 40th Street and 17th Avenue are nearing completion

Salt River segment (Lower Buckeye Road to 51st Avenue)

  • Construction has begun on interchanges at Elliot Road and Southern Avenue, which are closed temporarily for this work
  • Two half-mile Salt River bridges, the longest on the project, are about halfway complete

I-10 segment (I-10 Papago to Lower Buckeye Road and improvements to I-10 between 43rd and 75th avenues)

  • Work is more than one-third complete on a 1,500-foot flyover ramp that will carry northbound South Mountain Freeway traffic to westbound I-10
  • Work is nearly halfway done on two access roads adjacent to I-10 that will improve traffic flow between 51st and 67th avenues

The 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 project, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

Saturday night’s all right for working

Saturday night’s all right for working

Saturday night’s all right for working

Saturday night’s all right for working

December 13, 2017

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

Holiday parties? On the last pre-holiday weekend of the year?

No, thanks. There’s work to do.

While some of us might get an early start on the Christmas and New Year’s holidays waiting for us over the next two weekends, Arizona Department of Transportation crews at Ajo Way and Ina Road will be firming up their credentials for Santa’s nice list by taking major steps on those two big projects.

On Friday night at Ajo Way, we’ll be pouring concrete to form the deck on the new bridge that carries Ajo (State Route 86) over Interstate 19. When we begin the work at 10 p.m., we’ll close I-19 in both directions for your safety. Traffic will use the exit and ramps to leave and return to the freeway. Ajo Way will be closed, so there will be no turns at Ajo.

Around sunrise, once the concrete is poured, we’ll open I-19 again but close the exit and entrance ramps. You can use Irvington or 29th Street as alternative exits. By midday on Saturday, Dec. 16, we should be finished and traffic will go back to normal.

Meanwhile in Marana, crews will use Saturday and Sunday to move traffic onto new roads they built during 2017.

On I-10 Saturday night, crews will direct eastbound traffic on I-10 to the new eastbound lanes. Work has already been completed on a bridge that will carry Ina Road over the new freeway lanes. Sometime in January, westbound I-10 will also be moved to the new pavement, giving drivers three lanes in each direction.

There will be no rest on Sunday. About a mile to the west of I-10, we’ll move Ina Road traffic to a new bridge over the Santa Cruz River.

After all that holiday fun, we have big plans for celebrating the New Year. On I-10, we’ll demolish the old bridge that once carried westbound traffic, build new westbound lanes, and finish the bridge carrying Ina over the freeway and railroad tracks. On the Santa Cruz River we’ll remove the old bridge and replace it with a new two-lane bridge.

And that’s how we plan to put a bow on two of Pima County’s biggest projects for a year well spent.

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

Eastbound I-10 traffic switching to new lanes this weekend

December 12, 2017

MARANA – Drivers heading from northwest Pima County toward downtown Tucson will start using new eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 at Ina Road this weekend.

Beginning Saturday night, Dec. 16, Arizona Department of Transportation crews will begin moving eastbound traffic to the new lanes of I-10 as part of a two-year project to improve both I-10 and Ina Road. The work is expected to be complete the morning of Sunday, Dec. 17.

Also on Sunday, about one mile west of the freeway, Ina Road traffic will switch to a new bridge over the Santa Cruz River. This bridge will carry one lane of traffic in each direction while the old bridge is removed and a second new bridge is built in its place.

The I-10/Ina Road interchange project, which remains on schedule approaching the halfway point, will add a lane in each direction to both I-10 and Ina Road and includes a bridge to carry Ina Road traffic over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The improvements will allow traffic to move more smoothly through the area while enhancing safety.

Westbound I-10 traffic will switch to the new eastbound pavement in mid- to late January. ADOT will maintain three lanes of traffic in each direction until the project is completed in early 2019. When the work is complete, I-10 will have four lanes in each direction, Ina Road two lanes in each direction, and there will be two bridges over the Santa Cruz River, each carrying two lanes of traffic.

ADOT is overseeing the $128 million project, which is 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 bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

For more information on the project, visit azdot.gov/InaTI.

Field work to begin on I-10 widening, dust detection project near Picacho

Field work to begin on I-10 widening, dust detection project near Picacho

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Field work to begin on I-10 widening, dust detection project near Picacho

Field work to begin on I-10 widening, dust detection project near Picacho

December 5, 2017

PICACHO – Crews will begin clearing ground near Interstate 10 south of Eloy this week as the Arizona Department of Transportation takes the first step in a project that will realign and widen 4 miles to three lanes in each direction.

The project also will create a first-in-in-the-nation pilot dust detection and warning zone designed to alert drivers to dangerous conditions in an area prone to blowing dust.

“This project includes two elements that will enhance safety for those using this busy section of Interstate 10,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The innovative dust detection project will provide drivers with fast information when conditions warrant. Adding a lane in each direction of I-10 will allow traffic to move more smoothly in this Key Commerce Corridor.”

The project includes widening I-10 from milepost 209 to 213, realigning the freeway to remove an “S” curve and building a new interchange with State Route 87. The clearing that starts this week is for work that will shift I-10 to a straighter path about 500 feet north of its current alignment.

The work is funded in part by a $54 million federal FASTLANE grant, which also will help pay for a second I-10 widening project on 4 miles north of Interstate 8. Bids for the second widening project are expected to be opened on Friday, Dec. 8. When both are complete, I-10 will be three lanes in each direction between Casa Grande and the Tucson area.

Coffman Specialties won a $58.4 million contract for the first project, which is expected to be completed in fall 2019.

The dust detection zone planned between mileposts 209 and 219 will combine a number of existing technologies, including:

   * Two types of radar to detect blowing dust along the freeway and in the distance approaching I-10. Short-range detectors will be located every mile, as well as at half-mile increments in the center of the area. The long-range detector will be located at the north end of the area, away from Newman and Picacho peaks.

  * Variable speed limits to slow drivers. Speed limits, which are enforceable, will slow drivers from 75 mph to 35 mph, dropping 10 mph for each 1,000 feet to allow drivers time to safely reduce their speed.

  * Closed-circuit freeway cameras so ADOT traffic operators in Phoenix can view the situation in real time.

  * Electronic message boards to relay information about conditions.

Dust storms, most common during the summer monsoons, can occur year-round in desert areas. Localized winds can create dust channels that severely reduce visibility in a small area.

A visit from Rocky helps mark milestone for Ina Road/I-10 project

A visit from Rocky helps mark milestone for Ina Road/I-10 project

A visit from Rocky helps mark milestone for Ina Road/I-10 project

A visit from Rocky helps mark milestone for Ina Road/I-10 project

November 8, 2017

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

Everything was in place. The truck with 70 yards of hose to hoist concrete from the trucks on the ground to the new bridge that will carry Ina Road over Interstate 10. Rebar to hold the cement in place. The roller screed that would smooth out the surface. Even the rolling platform that experienced tradesmen would use to spray curing compound on the surface.

Just one very small problem: Rocky the Ringtail.

You remember Rocky. It’s his picture on the Arizona driver license that was redesigned in 2014. We held a contest to name him and you chose the name suggested by Rory of Peoria, who at the time was just 7 years old.

We hadn’t seen Rocky for a while until he turned up Tuesday morning, all warm and cozy under the lattice of rebar that is to become the surface of the new bridge. Unfortunately, Rocky’s hideaway was about to be covered in concrete.

As soon as some engineers explained what was happening, Rocky packed his things, waved goodbye and moved on. The last we saw him, he ran down the embankment, across the future lanes of eastbound I-10 and off into the desert.

Blog-2017-1108-rocky-naming-ceremony

Rocky should have known we were coming. The Ina Road project – adding a lane in each direction on both I-10 and Ina, building a bridge to carry Ina over I-10 and the railroad tracks and new bridges over the Santa Cruz River – has remained on schedule since it began back in February. We’re on track to finish on time in early 2019.

It’s a good thing our friend kept running. Those new lanes on I-10 will begin taking traffic in about five weeks.

See you next time, Rocky. Take care of yourself.

Ina Road/I-10 interchange project on schedule as halfway point nears

Ina Road/I-10 interchange project on schedule as halfway point nears

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Ina Road/I-10 interchange project on schedule as halfway point nears

Ina Road/I-10 interchange project on schedule as halfway point nears

November 2, 2017

MARANA – Over the next three months, drivers in northwestern Pima County will see important advances as the two-year Interstate 10/Ina Road traffic interchange project moves on schedule toward the halfway point.

With pavement now in place for what will become the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 at Ina Road, crews will begin steps to move traffic to those new lanes so work can begin on the westbound lanes of I-10.

The first step: pouring concrete for the bridge decks that will carry Ina Road over Interstate 10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Supports for the bridges have been put in place over the past few months. The deck pour is scheduled to begin about 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Crews will pour the deck only for the western half of the bridge that will cross above the new eastbound lanes of I-10. That will avoid requiring any restrictions on I-10 traffic during the work.

All I-10 traffic will be moved to the new eastbound lanes so work can begin on the westbound side of the freeway. Eastbound traffic will move to the new pavement in mid-December, with westbound traffic moving to the new pavement about a month later. Three lanes will be maintained in each direction until the project is complete in early 2019.

When the work is finished, I-10 will include four lanes in each direction, an addition of one lane each way.

In late December, Ina Road traffic west of the freeway will be moved to the new bridge over the Santa Cruz River. That will allow ADOT crews to remove the existing bridge and replace it with a new two-lane bridge that eventually will carry westbound traffic on Ina Road.

The Ina Road project is designed to improve traffic flow and driver safety in Marana and the surrounding community. The new Ina Road bridge at I-10 will allow drivers to travel without delays for passing trains. Completion is scheduled for early 2019.

ADOT is overseeing the $128 million project, which is 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 bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

Sacaton Rest Area on I-10 to close for renovations

Sacaton Rest Area on I-10 to close for renovations

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Sacaton Rest Area on I-10 to close for renovations

Sacaton Rest Area on I-10 to close for renovations

October 13, 2017

PHOENIX ‒ The Sacaton Rest Area on Interstate 10 south of the Phoenix area is scheduled to close Wednesday, Oct. 18, for a $4 million renovation that’s expected to take six months, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Work planned for the rest area, located on both westbound and eastbound I-10 between Casa Blanca Road and State Route 387 near Casa Grande, includes upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, replacing a water line, replacing the septic tanks and sewer lines, upgrading the electrical and mechanical systems, and painting.

During the closure, the nearest traveler facilities will be in the Phoenix and Casa Grande areas and on the Gila River Indian Community.

ADOT has made improvements to rest areas in recent years to repair and replace infrastructure that has been in place for as long as 50 years. That includes drilling new wells to provide adequate water supplies and replacing septic systems.

The Canoa Ranch Rest Area on Interstate 19 is scheduled for renovations in spring 2018. Improvements at the Meteor Crater and Painted Cliffs rest areas on Interstate 40 are scheduled in 2019, and at the Mazatzal Rest Area on State Route 87 south of Payson in 2020. The Mohawk Rest Area on Interstate 8 near Dateland reopened recently after a $4.6 million renovation.

ADOT opens all new ramp connections at I-10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear

ADOT opens all new ramp connections at I-10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT opens all new ramp connections at I-10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear

ADOT opens all new ramp connections at I-10/Loop 303 interchange in Goodyear

October 10, 2017

GOODYEAR – Major work on the freeway interchange connecting Interstate 10 and Loop 303 in the West Valley has been completed.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has now opened all four of the new ramps that allow drivers to make direct connections between I-10 and Loop 303. Three ramps were opened to traffic Sunday night, Oct. 8. Construction crews on Monday opened the fourth ramp, which connects westbound I-10 to southbound Loop 303.

A new section of Loop 303 traveling under I-10 between Thomas Road and Van Buren Street in Goodyear also is open to traffic.

The new connections are part of ADOT’s $64 million project to build the second phase, or “south half,” of the large interchange connecting I-10 and Loop 303. Construction on the project started in Feb. 2016.

“Our goal will always focus on improving mobility across the Phoenix region and Arizona,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “These new connections provide new options for many West Valley drivers as we look forward to other future freeway improvements that save travel time and help the region manage growing traffic needs.”

Completing the new I-10/Loop 303 ramps sets the stage for a next project to extend Loop 303 south from Van Buren Street to Maricopa County Highway 85. Construction of that project is scheduled to start in fall 2019.

“This interchange continues to play a key role in economic development plans for Goodyear and other West Valley communities,” said Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord. “As a gateway to our city, it will provide for the efficient flow of people, goods and services for decades to come.”

The three new ramps that opened Sunday night provide connections from northbound Loop 303 to east- and westbound I-10 and from eastbound I-10 to southbound Loop 303. 

The I-10/Loop 303 south half project is funded as part of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. The primary funding sources are a countywide half-cent sales tax for transportation projects as well as the Phoenix region’s share of federal transportation funds.

The north half of the I-10/Loop 303 interchange opened to traffic in August 2014.