I-10

Watch us make a new bridge, and maybe a future bridge builder

Watch us make a new bridge, and maybe a future bridge builder

SR24-1

Watch us make a new bridge, and maybe a future bridge builder

Watch us make a new bridge, and maybe a future bridge builder

By Garin Groff / ADOT Communications
May 24, 2021

If you drove by Interstate 10 in far east Tucson on a recent Monday night, you couldn’t have overlooked a massive boom pumping concrete onto the new Houghton Road overpass.

But we wanted to share something you couldn’t have seen while zipping through the area: A little father-daughter bonding at what was dad’s office that night.

Meet Jeremy Moore, the Assistant District Engineer for ADOT’s Southcentral District, and his 11-year-old daughter, Kailey (both featured in the video and photo on this page!). 

Moore oversees the interchange reconstruction project and figured this busy work site was a perfect place for his daughter, who is eyeing a career in some kind of engineering or architecture. Kailey loves structures, so what could be better than watching part of a 12-hour, overnight operation to pour 1,000 cubic yards of concrete that now form the bridge’s future driving surface.

Kailey is a sixth grader at St. Joseph Catholic School in Tucson who has a passion for Taekwondo – she’s a second-degree black belt – and loves engineering, technology, science and math.

Thankfully for Kailey, there was a lot of math to soak in!

Her father shares a few interesting numbers on all that concrete. It’s:

  • 1,626 tons
  • 803 cubic yards
  • held together with 123 tons of reinforcing steel
  • forming a structure that’s 245 feet long, 125 feet wide and 8.5 inches thick

If Kailey ever decides to build something like a bridge, she got the perfect lesson under the stars that Monday night.

As to the project and what it means to drivers, this concrete pour represents a milestone. The entire bridge deck was poured in just one night, which means crews can plan for shifting traffic onto that new structure later this summer. That in turn allows us to demolish the old two-lane Houghton Road bridge and complete the ramps on the east side of the interchange.

And a few more numbers to finish with: The $24.4 million project is expected to be complete in about 7 months – at the end of 2021. Expect some nighttime and weekend lane restrictions, which could lead to delays of about 15 minutes.

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 14-17

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 14-17

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 14-17

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 14-17

May 12, 2021

PHOENIX – Motorists on both directions of Interstate 10 to the west of Willcox should expect a short detour the weekend of May 14-17 for a bridge deck replacement project, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

Both directions of I-10 will close at Exit 336, which will require drivers to detour onto the exit and entrance ramps, from 6 p.m. Friday, May 14, to 6 a.m. Monday, May 17.

Drivers should prepare to reduce their speed as they approach the work zone and exit I-10. Delays are possible.

The closure is one of several planned during the bridge deck replacement project, which is scheduled through late 2021. 

For more information, go to the project website.

Shedding new light on your drive in the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel

Shedding new light on your drive in the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel

SR24-1

Shedding new light on your drive in the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel

Shedding new light on your drive in the I-10 Deck Park Tunnel

By Doug Nintzel / ADOT Communications
May 11, 2021

When it comes to driving through the Interstate 10 Deck Park Tunnel north of downtown Phoenix, it’s important that you’re not left in the dark.

It has taken a few visits to the idea factory to explore possible ADOT projects to upgrade, and actually replace, the original lighting system dating back to when the famous tunnel opened in 1990 as part of the “Final Mile” of I-10 constructed across the entire U.S.

Fortunately, the waiting has paid off with an innovative project being installed by ADOT crews that has now reached a milestone with work to add new LED lighting in the westbound side of the tunnel finished.

That means more than 1,500 of the LED lights are now lighting the way for westbound I-10 drivers using the tunnel. ADOT crews are slated to complete the eastbound installation this summer as more light fixtures are provided by a manufacturer.

While previous project ideas were considered more expensive, ADOT found a company that could provide LED lighting fixtures that work in the same locations as the original high pressure sodium lights. The result is a $1.4 million safety enhancement project that includes the “in-house” installation work by an ADOT team.

An initial review of the new westbound lighting is already showing a more than 60 percent reduction in energy consumption. We’re estimating annual energy savings of more than $175,000, which by my limited math skills would mean the project will pay for itself in less than 10 years.

The new LED lights in the Deck Park Tunnel are providing a noticeably improved, brighter and whiter level of light compared to the yellow tone of the old, outdated high pressure sodium lights. The new bulbs certainly will last longer, no doubt having a positive effect on maintenance work and costs. 

As with the old lighting system, the improved LED tunnel lights will be set at appropriate transitioning levels during daylight and nighttime hours to allow a driver’s vision to adapt given outside lighting levels. For example, the system will run fewer lights at night because of lower nighttime light levels outside the tunnel.

So ADOT has reached the halfway point with the I-10 tunnel lighting upgrades. We’ll keep you posted on when the next installation work on the eastbound side will require an overnight closure so crews can do even more work. As always, please focus on safe driving, especially as we head into the summer travel season.  

I-10/Houghton Road interchange project reaches halfway mark

I-10/Houghton Road interchange project reaches halfway mark

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10/Houghton Road interchange project reaches halfway mark

I-10/Houghton Road interchange project reaches halfway mark

May 6, 2021

PHOENIX – Drivers southeast of downtown Tucson will see a major step forward in an interchange reconstruction project next week as crews pour the concrete bridge deck on the new Houghton Road structure at Interstate 10.

The concrete work on the bridge comes as the Arizona Department of Transportation reaches the halfway point of a $24.4 million project to rebuild the interchange.

While drivers have experienced several temporary ramp and lane shifts during the project, the concrete pour will allow drivers to see the bridge’s final driving surface come into view.

The concrete work will require I-10 to close in both directions from Monday, May 10, at 9:30 p.m. to Tuesday, May 11, at 5:30 a.m. During that time, drivers will detour over the entrance and exit ramps. Houghton Road will remain open, but drivers should expect delays of up to 15 minutes.

This summer, traffic on Houghton Road will move from the existing two-lane bridge to the new six-lane structure. Motorists will cross I-10 in a temporary lane configuration for several months while crews demolish the old bridge and complete building new ramps on the east side of the interchange.

Throughout the project, drivers should expect periodic traffic shifts, along with some overnight and weekend restrictions.

The project, which began in August 2020, is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2021. It will feature southern Arizona’s first diverging diamond interchange, a significant change from the existing diamond interchange.

When the diverging diamond configuration is in place, traffic on Houghton Road will make a temporary shift to the left side of Houghton Road while crossing I-10. This allows for left turns onto the entrance ramps without waiting at an additional traffic signal. This design promotes safety because drivers turning left don’t cross traffic while entering the on-ramp.

More than 115 diverging diamond interchanges are in use in the U.S. Ariona’s first full diverging diamond interchange opened in late 2020 at Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix.

For more information, go to the project website.

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 7-10

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 7-10

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 7-10

I-10 west of Willcox to close May 7-10

May 5, 2021

PHOENIX – Motorists on both directions of Interstate 10 to the west of Willcox should expect a short detour the weekend of May 7-10 for a bridge deck replacement project, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

Both directions of I-10 will close at Exit 336, which will require drivers to detour onto the exit and entrance ramps, from 6 p.m. Friday, May 7 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 10. 

Drivers should prepare to reduce their speed as they approach the work zone and exit I-10. Delays are possible.

The closure is the first of several planned during the bridge deck replacement project, which is scheduled through late 2021. 

For more information, go to the project website.

Overnight traffic switch May 3 at I-10/Houghton Road interchange

Overnight traffic switch May 3 at I-10/Houghton Road interchange

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Overnight traffic switch May 3 at I-10/Houghton Road interchange

Overnight traffic switch May 3 at I-10/Houghton Road interchange

April 29, 2021

PHOENIX – Motorists east of downtown Tucson should plan for a traffic switch on the north side of the Interstate 10/Houghton Road interchange overnight Monday, May 3, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

The work will involve intermittent delays and ramp closures while work crews shift the ramp configuration between 9 p.m., Monday, May 3, and 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 4. 

Once the transition is complete, crews will have moved the traffic signals to a new location farther north of the interchange. Also, the entrance ramp to I-10 westbound will be shifted to a temporary location north of the existing on-ramp. 

Because of the temporary ramp configuration, motorists exiting westbound I-10 will be required to turn north onto Houghton Road. No left turns will be allowed.

Motorists who want to reach southbound Houghton Road should instead exit at Rita Road, where they can re-enter I-10 eastbound to access Houghton Road. The left-turn restriction is expected to be in place several months, until the new bridge and new ramp connections are in place.

The work is part of a $24.4 million interchange reconstruction project to improve safety and traffic flow in a rapidly growing area of Pima County to the east of downtown Tucson. The interchange will be the first diverging diamond configuration in southern Arizona when it opens in late 2021. 

For more information, go to the project website.

I-10 west of Willcox to close April 30-May 3

I-10 west of Willcox to close April 30-May 3

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10 west of Willcox to close April 30-May 3

I-10 west of Willcox to close April 30-May 3

April 28, 2021

PHOENIX – Motorists on Interstate 10 eastbound to the west of Willcox should expect a short detour the weekend of April 30-May 3 for a bridge deck replacement project, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

Both directions of I-10 will close at Exit 336, which will require drivers to detour onto the exit and entrance ramps, from 8 p.m. Friday, April 30 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 3. 

Drivers should prepare to reduce their speed as they approach the work zone and exit I-10. Delays are possible.

The closure is the first of several planned during the bridge deck replacement project, which is scheduled through late 2021. 

For more information, go to the project website.

I-10 eastbound near Willcox to close April 23-26

I-10 eastbound near Willcox to close April 23-26

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10 eastbound near Willcox to close April 23-26

I-10 eastbound near Willcox to close April 23-26

April 21, 2021

PHOENIX – Motorists on Interstate 10 eastbound to the west of Willcox should expect a short detour the weekend of April 23-26 for a bridge deck replacement project, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

Eastbound lanes will close at Exit 336, which will require drivers to detour onto the exit and entrance ramps, from 8 p.m. Friday, April 23, to 6 a.m. Monday, April 26. 

Drivers should prepare to reduce their speed as they approach the work zone and exit I-10. Delays are possible.

Westbound traffic will be unaffected.

The closure is the first of several planned during the bridge deck replacement project, which is scheduled through late 2021. 

For more information, go to the project website.

I-10 bridge west of Willcox set to close April 5

I-10 bridge west of Willcox set to close April 5

I-17 101 traffic interchange

I-10 bridge west of Willcox set to close April 5

I-10 bridge west of Willcox set to close April 5

April 1, 2021

PHOENIX – A bridge over Interstate 10 west of Willcox will close Monday, April 5, as part of an Arizona Department of Transportation project to replace the bridge deck.

The bridge at Exit 336, which connects Haskell Avenue to the south of I-10 and Taylor Road to the north of the Interstate, will remain closed until fall.

Through the $2.5 million project, the eastbound I-10 exit ramp to Haskell Avenue will remain open to allow vehicles to enter Willcox from the west.

While the westbound I-10 entrance and exit ramps to and from Taylor road will remain open, traffic will not be able to cross over I-10. Also, the ramp from Taylor Road and Haskell Avenue to eastbound I-10 will remain closed during construction.

Motorists should expect periodic weekend detours on I-10 from 8 p.m. Fridays to 6 a.m. Mondays. During those times, traffic will be diverted onto the exit ramps and back to I-10 using the entrance ramps. 

The project also includes barrier replacement, new pavement adjacent to the bridge, guardrail upgrades and new signs.

For more information about the project, please visit the project page

Lighting the way. ADOT converting I-10 Deck Park Tunnel’s lights to LED

Lighting the way. ADOT converting I-10 Deck Park Tunnel’s lights to LED

SR24-1

Lighting the way. ADOT converting I-10 Deck Park Tunnel’s lights to LED

Lighting the way. ADOT converting I-10 Deck Park Tunnel’s lights to LED

By Doug Nintzel / ADOT Communications
March 3, 2021

It’s definitely a case of “out with the old and in with the new” when it comes to the lighting system inside the Interstate 10 Deck Park Tunnel north of downtown Phoenix.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has been pursuing a project to replace the original tunnel lighting system for several years now. After all, the Deck Park Tunnel opened to traffic in August 1990 and the old style high-pressure sodium lighting system has been in use for all the 30-plus years since. An upgrade has been much needed.

Following consideration of various project ideas over time, enough funding was identified for a $1.4 million project that is now underway. New LED lighting fixtures are being installed, over the course of the next few months, to replace the old fixtures that held the sodium lights.

A test installation was done with a small section of lights last year and more of the new lights were put in during January above the westbound I-10 right lane within the tunnel. In fact, you might have noticed the “whiter” LED lights that are in versus the “yellow/amber” glow of the old lights.

The project team anticipates needing several Friday night closures of I-10, in either direction, over the next few months in order to change out the more than 3,200 fixtures that help light the way when you’re traveling through the tunnel.

The new LED lights are energy efficient and can be expected to last well over twice as long as their sodium predecessors. The anticipated annual energy savings are more than $175,000. Those savings will over time help pay for the cost of installing the new system.

So be prepared for ADOT to let you know which Friday nights will be used for closures so the lighting improvement work can advance this spring. Our Weekend Travel Advisory is a good thing to subscribe to via azdot.gov/Subscribe.

At age 30, the Deck Park Tunnel is getting a new look and you’ll notice a difference. As some experienced models might tell you – it’s all about the lighting.