PHOENIX ‒ Arizona Department of Transportation crews have closed three Interstate 10 ramps in the area of a widening project in Casa Grande for the safety of drivers and work crews.

The ramps that will remain closed until the project is complete in late summer 2019 are:

• Eastbound Interstate 8 to westbound I-10.
• The eastbound I-10 on-ramp at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.
• The westbound off-ramp at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.

All three ramps are in the area where ADOT crews are widening I-10 to six lanes between Earley Road and I-8 (milepost 196-200).

Traffic on eastbound I-8 should take westbound I-10 to the next exit at Sunland Gin Road (exit 200), exit and enter eastbound I-10 at Sunland Gin Road. 

Drivers wishing to enter eastbound I-10 at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard should follow Jimmie Kerr Boulevard south to Sunland Gin Road, then go west to reach I-10.  Westbound I-10 drivers can exit at Sunland Gin Road and then go north to Jimmie Kerr Boulevard, or exit at Florence Boulevard (SR 287, edit 194), re-enter I-10 eastbound and exit at Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.

Traffic on I-10 was recently switched to new lanes and new bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard as work continues on the project. The original bridges over Jimmie Kerr Boulevard are being removed and crews soon will begin work to add additional lanes and shoulders to the new bridges.

Along with a second widening project in Eloy, the work will make I-10 a six-lane freeway from Casa Grande to Tucson.

PHOENIX – One of Yuma County’s largest recent freeway improvement projects is about to be completed, paving the way for smoother and safer travel through one of the region’s busiest intersections.

The new Araby Road traffic interchange at Interstate 8 includes two modern roundabouts that will reduce delays for drivers entering and exiting I-8. The roundabout on the south side of I-8 also connects with Gila Ridge Road.

The $8 million project was completed in two phases, with the roundabout on the north side of I-8 finished in 2017 and the south side roundabout expected to be complete by Nov. 1.

The work stopped from November 2017 to May 2018 to allow easier freeway access for seasonal visitors and winter produce headed toward markets across the country.

Araby Road, also known as State Route 195, connects I-8 with the San Luis Port of Entry and is a vital corridor for international commerce. The roundabouts are designed to accommodate large commercial trucks as well as agricultural equipment and recreational vehicles.

The interchange is one of the busiest along I-8 in Yuma, used by about 22,000 vehicles per day. The new design is expected to accommodate increasing traffic in the area through at least 2035.

A comprehensive study determined that modern roundabouts are the best choice to meet traffic demands at the interchange. Modern roundabouts have been shown to be safer and more efficient than traditional signalized intersections.

Overnight closures of Araby Road at I-8 are planned for Monday through Thursday nights, Oct. 22-25. The southbound lane will close at 10 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22, and Tuesday Oct. 23, with the northbound lane closing Wednesday, Oct. 24 and Thursday, Oct. 25. The road will reopen at 5 a.m. on the following mornings.

In addition, the I-8 eastbound on- and off ramps at Araby will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27. 

PHOENIX – Eastbound Interstate 8 entry and exit ramps at Araby Road (State Route 195) in Yuma will be closed for a month beginning next week as crews construct a new retaining wall as part of an Arizona Department of Transportation project upgrading the interchange.

I-8 drivers can use exits at Avenue 3E, Avenue 8½ E and 32nd Street during the closure scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 13.

Araby Road remains limited to one lane in each direction between 26th and 30th streets near I-8, with no left turn from northbound Araby to Gila Ridge Road. The maximum vehicle width on Araby Road is 12 feet.

Also on Monday, Aug. 13, the westbound lane of Gila Ridge Road, closed since May, will reopen between Araby and the Tanimura and Antle Produce building at 6435 Gila Ridge Road.

ADOT is completing the second half of a project to replace traditional traffic signals with modern roundabouts at the Araby Road interchange. The roundabouts, which are safer and move traffic more efficiently than traffic signals, will be large enough to accommodate large trucks, recreational vehicles and agricultural equipment.

A roundabout on the north side of I-8 was completed in 2017. The current work south of I-8 is scheduled to be complete this fall.

YUMA – Work resumes the week of May 14 on a project converting the Interstate 8 interchange at Araby Road to a pair of modern roundabouts that will move traffic more efficiently and safely through one of the region’s busiest intersections.

In this second half of this project, the Arizona Department of Transportation is building a roundabout that will connect the eastbound I-8 ramps at Araby. Gila Ridge Road also will connect to the roundabout, which is designed to accommodate large trucks, recreational vehicles and agricultural equipment. The project is scheduled for completion in November.

Crews completed a similar roundabout north of I-8 in 2017, before work went on hiatus for the winter.

Yuma-area drivers should plan ahead to avoid restrictions that will be in place for the next one to three months:

• The eastbound I-8 exit ramp at Araby will close for three months beginning on Wednesday, May 16. Drivers may want to exit at Avenue 3E to the west or Fortuna Road to the east.
• Also on May 16, Gila Ridge Road will close for 30 days between Araby Road and the Tanimura and Angle Produce building, 6435 Gila Ridge Road.
• On Thursday, May 17, Araby will be reduced to one lane in each direction between 26th and 30th streets near I-8. During the restriction, which will remain in place for three months, there will be no left turn from northbound Araby to Gila Ridge. The maximum vehicle width during the restriction will be 11 feet.

Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes.

The Araby Road interchange is among the busiest along I-8 in the Yuma area. As SR 195, it is a vital corridor for international commerce through the international port of entry in San Luis. To the north, it connects with US 95 leading to Interstate 10.

YUMA – After a five-month break to accommodate winter agriculture traffic, Arizona Department of Transportation crews in Yuma are resuming a project converting the Araby Road interchange at Interstate 8 to modern roundabouts.

Utility work will begin Monday, March 26, on the south side of I-8, with construction of a new roundabout set to begin in May. The roundabout, which is scheduled for completion by November, will connect the eastbound I-8 ramps, Araby Road and Gila Ridge Road.

Last fall, crews completed a roundabout serving the north side of I-8 and connecting with Araby with the westbound I-8 ramps. The roundabouts enhance safety and improve traffic flow. They are designed to accommodate large trucks, farming equipment and recreational vehicles.

Beginning Monday and continuing until Friday, March 30, relocation of fiber-optic lines will restrict northbound Araby to one lane from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The maximum vehicle width during the work is 12 feet. With delays possible, drivers should consider alternate routes, including Fortuna Road to the east and Avenue 3E to the west.

Araby Road, also known as State Route 195, connects I-8 and the San Luis Port of Entry and is a vital corridor for international commerce. The interchange is one of the busiest intersections along I-8 in Yuma, used by about 22,000 vehicles per day. The new design is expected to accommodate increasing traffic in the area through at least 2035.

PHOENIX – Drivers heading to Southern California through Yuma should plan for delays on Interstate 8 with California Department of Transportation repairs closing one of two westbound lanes over the Colorado River.

According to Caltrans, the right westbound lane closure on the bridge, located on the state line near downtown Yuma, will remain in place until repairs are completed in January. For updates, visit the Caltrans website at www.dot.ca.gov and click on the link for District 11 – Imperial and San Diego counties. The agency’s regional Twitter account, @SDCaltrans, is another source for updates.

Those planning to travel to Southern California on westbound I-8 should budget extra time and may want to consider taking I-10 as an alternate route.

YUMA – With half the work completed on schedule, Arizona Department of Transportation crews are calling time out on the project to build a new traffic interchange at Interstate 8 and Araby Road so that agricultural traffic can move without restriction during the busy winter season.

Work on the modern roundabout north of I-8, which connects with exit and entrance ramps from westbound I-8, will end Friday, Oct. 27. Work on the roundabout on the south side of I-8 is scheduled to resume in the spring.

“We’re excited to complete the first part of this important project on time,” said Paul Patane, ADOT Southwest District engineer. “It was crucial that we did not impede the busy agricultural season.”

Araby is also known as State Route 195 and runs south to the San Luis Port of Entry, where most trucks carrying winter produce into the Yuma area cross the border from Mexico.  The roundabouts are designed to accommodate large trucks, agricultural equipment and recreational vehicles.

There is one step still to be completed on the north roundabouts. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction to allow crews to add striping to the roundabout on Monday, Nov. 13, and Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Utility work connected to the south roundabout will begin in April, with construction expected to resume in early May. Completion is scheduled for fall 2018. The roundabouts south of I-8 will connect with the eastbound on- and off-ramps as well as with Gila Ridge Road.

The interchange is being transformed to improve traffic flow in what is one of the busiest intersections in Yuma, with about 22,000 vehicles per day. The new design is expected to accommodate increasing traffic flow in the area through at least 2035.

A comprehensive study determined that modern roundabouts are the best choice to meet traffic demands. Modern roundabouts have been shown to be safer and more efficient than traditional signalized intersections.

YUMA – The Yuma area’s first modern roundabout for a freeway interchange has opened at the Giss Parkway ramps connecting with Interstate 8.

Some work remains on the $2.5 million project to replace a T intersection for the on- and off-ramps from westbound I-8, the last exit before drivers reach the Colorado River. The project also includes improved lighting, signage and drainage, as well as accommodations for cyclists.

Work began in March and will be completed this fall.

“Modern roundabouts are designed to move traffic more efficiently without the use of traffic lights,” said Paul Patane, ADOT’s Southwest District engineer. “ADOT has used modern roundabouts in other parts of the state, and they have proven to move traffic smoothly and safely without the long delays that can come with traffic signals and stop signs.”

ADOT crews also are constructing two modern roundabouts at Araby Road in Yuma.

YUMA ‒ Farm equipment operators will have a one-hour window each morning to move through the Araby Road work zone at Interstate 8.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has designated 10-11 a.m. daily as a travel window for farm equipment operators to move through the area where ADOT crews are building new roundabouts at the Araby traffic interchange. Travel is restricted to one lane in each direction during the work, which will continue until about Nov. 1.

Operators are encouraged to wait for the one-hour window in designated staging areas on each side of the freeway. Outside of the daily travel window, farm equipment operators should seek alternate routes.

Crews are working this summer to build a roundabout on the north side of I-8. To minimize impacts to winter visitors and peak produce seasons, work will stop about Nov. 1 and resume in spring 2018. The project is scheduled to be completed next fall.