I-19

Study to look at potential routes for Sonoran Corridor in Tucson

Study to look at potential routes for Sonoran Corridor in Tucson

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Study to look at potential routes for Sonoran Corridor in Tucson

Study to look at potential routes for Sonoran Corridor in Tucson

May 23, 2017

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.

Project to promote driver safety along I-19 to require lane closures

Project to promote driver safety along I-19 to require lane closures

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Project to promote driver safety along I-19 to require lane closures

Project to promote driver safety along I-19 to require lane closures

January 12, 2017

NOGALES – A project creating recovery zones for motorists using Interstate 19 will require daily lane closures while Arizona Department of Transportation crews remove trees and woody vegetation within 30 feet of travel lanes.

The project, designed to give drivers whose vehicles leave the roadway a better opportunity to stop safely, has begun near Nogales and is expected to reach Tucson by the end of March.

Crews will work from sunrise to sunset Mondays through Saturdays to remove trees and larger vegetation to create buffer zone extending 30 feet from the solid white or yellow stripe of the travel lane.

The freeway will be narrowed to one lane in project segments between three and five miles long to separate traffic from large machinery being used to cut and mulch trees, and to prevent wood chips from striking passing vehicles. Drivers should expect delays in work zone areas.

I-19 is the first route in Arizona where ADOT will create recovery zones after completing a study to determine where the most crashes involving trees have occurred.

Future locations for removing roadside trees will be selected based on the study’s results.

Big ADOT projects happening in southern Arizona in 2017

Big ADOT projects happening in southern Arizona in 2017

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Big ADOT projects happening in southern Arizona in 2017

Big ADOT projects happening in southern Arizona in 2017

January 4, 2017

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.

Effort starting on I-19 will remove some roadside trees for safety of motorists

Effort starting on I-19 will remove some roadside trees for safety of motorists

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Effort starting on I-19 will remove some roadside trees for safety of motorists

Effort starting on I-19 will remove some roadside trees for safety of motorists

December 16, 2016

NOGALES – An Arizona Department of Transportation safety project to remove some roadside trees along Interstate 19 will begin next week.

The project will create recovery zones to help drivers regain control of their vehicles if they’ve left the pavement.

The work will begin Monday, Dec. 19, along Interstate 19 in the Nogales area and move north from there.

The project will remove trees within 30 feet of the highways, but other vegetation will remain in place, as will trees and other plants beyond the 30-foot zone.

On I-19, the average width of the median is 80 feet, which means some trees will remain in the center of the median. Trees that are removed will be mulched and used as a ground cover. Mulch will be no more than 2 inches deep and cannot cover perennial vegetation or fill waterways. Any additional mulch will be hauled to a different site.

Work on I-19 is expected to be completed by March. Future locations for removing roadside trees will include State Route 87 near Payson. Additional locations will be selected later.

More improvements coming to State Route 189 in Nogales

More improvements coming to State Route 189 in Nogales

SR24-1

More improvements coming to State Route 189 in Nogales

More improvements coming to State Route 189 in Nogales

September 29, 2016

Port of Entry

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

The Arizona State Transportation Board has approved starting improvements to State Route 189 two years ahead of schedule, thanks to $25 million in funding approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey. It’s that possible trucks carrying international trade could be driving on an upgraded SR 189 by late 2020 – before the work was originally scheduled to begin.

It’s not the first time Nogales has received this kind of good news involving SR 189 and the Mariposa Port of Entry. Almost a decade ago, plans to improve the port itself were on hold because of the lack of funding. After Arizona received $173 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, ADOT began work five years ahead of schedule.

2016-0928-mariposa-port-of-entry2

Port of Entry

In collaboration with a number of federal agencies and the Arizona-Mexico Commission, ADOT made a number of improvements to the port. One of those – new technology to allow faster processing of trucks crossing the border – was recognized with a Best Use of Innovation Award from America's Transportation Awards.

Other improvements included seven Slow Speed Weigh in Motion scales, seven credential-processing booths and a larger building to accommodate more staff to process commercial truck permitting and issuance of citations.

The port of entry, located on the west side of Nogales, is one of the busiest in the United States. It processes about 80 percent of the international commercial traffic entering the state and is the main entry site for fresh produce entering the United States from Mexico for the West Coast.

The improvements to start in 2019 will improve the 3.75-mile roadway and create a flyover ramp for traffic entering northbound Interstate 19. And ADOT is exploring ways to fund even more improvements in the future, including a flyover ramp for southbound I-19 traffic onto SR 189.

In ADOT's announcement this week, Governor Doug Ducey shared why it's important for Arizona to invest in SR 189.

"Mexico is Arizona’s largest international trading partner, and improving how trade moves along this critical route in Nogales will help grow Arizona’s economy," the governor said. "Getting this work started sooner is another way Arizona is moving at the speed of business."

From the Director: Pilot program starts for expanded truck loads on I-10, I-19

From the Director: Pilot program starts for expanded truck loads on I-10, I-19

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From the Director: Pilot program starts for expanded truck loads on I-10, I-19

From the Director: Pilot program starts for expanded truck loads on I-10, I-19

September 7, 2016

Expanding Truck Load Map

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

The Arizona Department of Transportation has started a year-long pilot program that allows slightly heavier trucks to travel on interstates in Southern Arizona. The program began Sept. 1.

ADOT is responding to requests from area leaders to help make commercial traffic more efficient. We chose Interstate 10 in the Tucson/Marana area and Interstate 19 between Tucson and Nogales including Business 19 because these roadways are Key Commerce Corridors, contributing significantly to Arizona’s economy and being near Mexico, the state’s top international trading partner.

Operating at the speed of business means that ADOT looks for ways to make freight travel as friction-free as possible while safeguarding Arizona’s investment in our highways and protecting public safety. As part of the pilot program, trucks may receive permits from ADOT that allows them to carry up to 83,000 pounds rather than the current weight limit of 80,000 pounds, making for a smoother transition between rail and highway modes for freight shipments. We will be studying whether the higher weight limit has an impact on the condition of our highways and on the safety of the traveling public.

This pilot program represents ADOT’s commitment to support Arizona’s businesses and export industries. We are a member of the I-10 Corridor Coalition (California, New Mexico and Texas) whose mission is to make travel on Interstate 10 safer and more efficient including freight movement. I look forward to sharing the data we collect with the three state departments of transportation.


Director-Halikowski-headshot

 

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

 

Arizona, Mexico sign agreement to further develop binational trade corridor

Arizona, Mexico sign agreement to further develop binational trade corridor

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Arizona, Mexico sign agreement to further develop binational trade corridor

Arizona, Mexico sign agreement to further develop binational trade corridor

March 3, 2016

PHOENIX – Arizona and Mexico will further their collaboration on developing the key trade corridor connecting them under an agreement signed this week by Arizona Department of Transportation Director John Halikowski and Raul Murrieta Cummings, undersecretary of infrastructure for Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport.

The memorandum of understanding, signed Tuesday in Mexico City, establishes a joint planning committee that will produce a study of ways to improve the corridor along Interstate 19 in Arizona and Highway 15 in Mexico. The primary north-south route in western Mexico and the western United States, the corridor feeds into Arizona’s port of entry system along with Arizona’s and Mexico’s highway systems.

The Arizona portion of the corridor will also serve as part of the anticipated route of Interstate 11, a multimodal transportation corridor from Nogales to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge. From there, I-11 will expand into northern Nevada, potentially reaching as far as Canada.

“Our efforts to strengthen the Arizona-Mexico relationship are already resulting in great success, including the signing of this agreement between ADOT and the Mexican federal Ministry of Communications and Transport,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “These efforts will grow our binational trade and make our freight and trade corridor one of the most competitive in the global market.”

Mexico is Arizona’s largest international trading partner, with $16 billion annually in imports and exports. By working together to invest in transportation infrastructure on both sides of the border, Arizona and Mexico will realize opportunities for connectivity, economic development and job growth.

“This is the culmination of years of building the right relationships and a continuation of Governor Ducey’s commitment to fostering a closer working relationship with Mexico,” Halikowski said. “Governor Ducey has challenged us to think big, to think as a business, and with this study we will push our sphere of influence beyond the border, helping Arizona companies tap into new business opportunities in Mexico. This will also help us position our corridor as a viable, cost-effective alternative to the corridors connecting Mexico to the Texas border.”

Mexico has pledged $100,000 and ADOT $200,000 toward the first phase of the multiyear Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study, which will identify priority transportation projects, solutions to congestion and backups along the Arizona-Mexico border, ideas to make the corridor more efficient for multimodal transportation, and technologies to improve efficiency and reliability. The study will also focus on identifying clusters for job creation and economic development along the entire corridor.

“This one-of-a-kind study will set us apart from the rest and help us market our region throughout the world,” Halikowski said.

ADOT is a member of the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, which includes the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism, along with other partner agencies. The alliance focuses on creating economic development opportunities for Arizona and Mexico through investment in transportation infrastructure, partnerships and strategic planning.

“The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study promises to bring greater understanding of the economic opportunities that exist for our region,” said David Farca, president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. “In addition, it will help us raise awareness of Arizona’s strategic geographic position in the heart of an economically powerful mega-region that gives us a competitive advantage in the global market and makes Arizona a prime location to do business.”

Over the last few years, ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, along with the U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have invested more than $250 million in improvements at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales ‒ improvements that benefit the overall corridor. Plans are moving forward to improve State Route 189 to enhance the flow of commercial truck traffic and to ensure international commerce can efficiently and safely travel between Arizona and Mexico.

During the meeting preceding the signing ceremony, Halikowski pushed for additional improvements to the Mexican side of Arizona’s ports of entry. Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport reaffirmed its commitment of $2.2 billion for improvements to the Highway 15 corridor from Mexico City to the Arizona-Mexico border.

This week’s agreement promises to add not only needed infrastructure, but global opportunities.

“Arizona’s relationship with Mexico continues to grow and strengthen thanks to Governor Ducey’s efforts and ambitious trade agenda,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “In 2015 alone, Mexico accounted for more than $9 billion in Arizona exports. Conducting this study is an excellent step in enhancing the competitiveness of the Arizona-Mexico Corridor. Doing so will facilitate increased cross-border trade and advance Arizona’s position in the global economy.”

The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study is expected to begin later this year.

Interstate 19/Ajo Way improvements to begin this spring in Tucson

Interstate 19/Ajo Way improvements to begin this spring in Tucson

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Interstate 19/Ajo Way improvements to begin this spring in Tucson

Interstate 19/Ajo Way improvements to begin this spring in Tucson

January 8, 2016

TUCSON – A project to improve traffic flow at Interstate 19/State Route 86 (Ajo Way) interchange will begin this spring in southwest Tucson, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Some utility work associated with the project will begin next week and lane restrictions along SR 86 are expected.

ADOT will reconstruct the existing “partial cloverleaf” interchange and replace it with a single-point urban traffic interchange that is designed to move large volumes of traffic safely and efficiently.

Nearly 100,000 vehicles travel daily through the current interchange, which was originally built in 1965, and traffic volumes are anticipated to continue to grow in the future.

The new interchange will feature a widened, new 218-foot-long Ajo Way bridge over I-19 with a single set of traffic signals controlling traffic entering and exiting the interstate rather than signals at multiple locations, in a design similar to the I-19 Valencia Road interchange.

The $40 million, two-year project will be the first of two related to the Ajo Way interchange and adjacent highways. In addition to the interchange improvements, the first phase will include:

  • 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.
  • Repaving Elizabeth Drive and closing off access to Elizabeth Drive from 16th Avenue south of Ajo Way.

A second phase is anticipated to begin in fiscal year 2018, and major improvements include widening I-19 within the project area, two new bridge structures, new pavement from Irvington Road to north of Ajo Way and constructing a new ramp structure for the southbound I-19 Ajo Way on-ramp to cross over the Irvington Road off-ramp.

During this project, ADOT’s goal will be minimizing the impact on drivers as much as possible, including scheduling some nighttime work. Access to residential and commercial properties will be maintained.

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 5-1-1.

Lane striping work on I-10 and I-19 will require nighttime traffic restrictions next week in Tucson

Lane striping work on I-10 and I-19 will require nighttime traffic restrictions next week in Tucson

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Lane striping work on I-10 and I-19 will require nighttime traffic restrictions next week in Tucson

Lane striping work on I-10 and I-19 will require nighttime traffic restrictions next week in Tucson

June 26, 2015

TUCSON – Motorists traveling near the Interstate 10 and Interstate 19 junction in Tucson need to be prepared for nighttime travel restrictions next week that will allow crews to conduct lane striping work, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

  • I-19 will be reduced to one lane in both directions between Ajo Way and I-10 from 9 p.m. Sunday, June 28 until 5 a.m. Monday, June 29. The northbound I-19 on-ramps in that area will also be closed. Motorists can use Sixth or 12th avenues as alternate routes.
  • The left lane of I-10 will be closed in both directions between the junction with I-19 and milepost 260, two miles west of I-19 junction from 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 1. The eastbound I-10 off ramp at Sixth Avenue (Exit 261) and the I-10 off ramp to southbound I-19 also will be closed during that time.

The restrictions will allow ADOT crews to remove existing lane striping and reinstall new striping.

ADOT advises drivers to 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 www.az511.gov or call 5-1-1.

Southbound I-19 off-ramp at Valencia Road to close for nearly 30 hours

Southbound I-19 off-ramp at Valencia Road to close for nearly 30 hours

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Southbound I-19 off-ramp at Valencia Road to close for nearly 30 hours

Southbound I-19 off-ramp at Valencia Road to close for nearly 30 hours

April 9, 2015

TUCSON — The southbound Interstate 19 off-ramp at Valencia Road in Tucson will be closed for nearly 30 hours next week to allow crews to conduct final paving operations as the Arizona Department of Transportation nears completion of a project to add another travel lane at the off-ramp, which will be useful during typical morning and afternoon rush hours.

The work will require the southbound I-19 off-ramp at Valencia Road to be closed from midnight, Monday, April 13, until 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15. Additionally, the right lane of southbound I-19 approaching Exit 95 will be closed a mile and a half before the exit and will remain closed from midnight until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The $1.69 million project was designed to ease traffic congestion and prevent backups from occurring on southbound I-19 by adding a third travel lane to the ramp. Most of the work was completed in 2014, but final paving operations required warmer temperatures to complete.

Final lane striping on the ramp will be done in approximately one month.

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 5-1-1.