NOGALES – The Arizona Department of Transportation is nearing completion on the $134 million project to improve international trade and safety on the 3.75-mile State Route 189, with a new connection that more seamlessly links the international port of entry at Mariposa Road with Interstate 19.

“The SR 189 project is a winner for southern Arizona, our entire state and the Arizona-Mexico corridor,” said Governor Doug Ducey. “It’s exactly the project we need to ensure the smooth and safe flow of commerce, bringing goods and people into the country. Thank you to the city of Nogales, Santa Cruz County and all of the partners in and around Nogales who helped make this unique project possible.”

“SR 189 is a critical route for international trade with Mexico, tying directly to a key commerce corridor,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “This project will benefit North American trade and tourism while making Mariposa Road safer for drivers and the community. We also look forward to enhancing the system of ports of entry along our southern border, with upcoming projects in San Luis and Douglas.”

The Mariposa Port of Entry is among the busiest in the United States. Close to 370,000 northbound trucks crossed the border at Nogales in 2021, carrying nearly $30 billion in goods, including much of the winter produce consumed in the U.S. 

The upgrades to SR 189 include flyover ramps connecting the highway with I-19, creating grade separation on a key local intersection, eliminating the need for commercial trucks to stop multiple times between the international border and I-19. Since the ramps opened in late February, the infrastructure improvement is helping speed the flow of commerce and attract even more trade between Mexico and Arizona. 

Construction began in May 2020. ADOT was able to advance the project two years earlier than originally planned after a $25 million appropriation was approved by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Governor Doug Ducey. Also, Arizona received a $25 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant.

“This project exemplifies the priorities of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and commitment to improve transportation infrastructure and supply chains nationwide,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “The SR 189 project will improve air quality, traffic flow and safety for the region. We applaud ADOT for this major investment in Arizona’s future.”

Additionally, utilizing an innovative funding mechanism, the city of Nogales, Santa Cruz County and ADOT all agreed to contribute a portion of the funds they receive each year from overweight permits that trucking companies purchase when their loads exceed 80,000 pounds. 

The project also benefits Nogales residents and businesses by reducing congestion on one of the community’s primary roads, which passes by Nogales High School. It includes a new roundabout at Target Range Road and improved drainage and traffic signals.

“This project was essential to ensure the safety of our residents and the millions of tourists who rely on this road to get to their destinations,” said Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino. “The construction phase of the project was also a great contributor to our local economy. I am grateful to ADOT and all those that contributed to this major project making Nogales’ roads second to none.”

The Mariposa Port of Entry was upgraded in 2014, and the SR 189 project will now build on that earlier investment.

“This is not just a Nogales project but a project that impacts the entire Arizona-Mexico corridor,” said Jamie Chamberlain, chairman of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority. “When you combine this investment with the investments made on the Mexican road from Mexico City to the border with Arizona, it makes us more competitive against those corridors that lead to California, New Mexico and Texas.” 

Bruce Bracker, of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, said the highway is a gateway for billions of trade and millions of visitors from Mexico. 

“After the U.S. government spent $250 million modernizing the Mariposa port of entry, SR 189 remained the major bottleneck and a safety concern for a local school,” Bracker said. “The county’s contribution to this project is an investment in the safety, growth and economic development of the region. We are grateful to Governor Ducey, ADOT and the US Department of Transportation for making this project a reality, and proud that Santa Cruz County could be a partner in this effort.”

Ames/Horrocks is the Design Build team on the project, with Ames leading construction and Horrocks leading design.

To learn more about the project, please visit azdot.gov/SR189. 

NOGALES – As crews with the Arizona Department of Transportation continue working on improvements to State Route 189 in Nogales, the flyover ramps connecting SR 189 and Interstate 19 are now open to traffic.

The ramps connect northbound and southbound directions where the highways intersect, which will improve safety and the flow of international commerce. 

Work on the $134 million project that began in May 2020 will continue through March. Drivers should expect construction activity on SR 189, known locally as Mariposa Road, which is a 3.75-mile long highway linking the international border and I-19. 

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/SR189.

PHOENIX – The first modern roundabout in Nogales is now open for drivers.

Located at State Route 189 and Target Range Road, the roundabout opened Tuesday morning, May 18, with a single travel lane. Construction continues on the second lane, and work on the roundabout is expected to be complete this summer.

As part of the SR 189 improvement project, the roundabout replaces stop signs facing drivers about a mile north of the Mariposa Port of Entry.

Roundabouts are considered safer and more efficient for drivers. They are safer because drivers entering the roundabout only have to look left for oncoming traffic, and crashes that may occur tend to be less severe because vehicles are traveling at slower speeds and in the same general direction. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, roundabouts reduce injury crashes by 75 percent and fatal crashes by 90 percent compared with traditional intersections. 

For more about roundabouts, please visit: /about/transportation-safety/roundabouts

The $134 million project to improve SR 189 between the international border and Grand Avenue also includes long flyover ramps connecting SR 189 with Interstate 19 that will avoid delays for international truck drivers and improve safety on one of Nogales’ busiest roads. ADOT anticipates the project will be completed by this fall.

SR 189 is a vital route for Arizona’s economy. About 80 percent of international commerce enters Arizona at Nogales and follows SR 189 and I-19 to reach markets across the country.

For more information on the SR 189 improvements, please visit azdot.gov/sr189. 

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PHOENIX – Drivers on State Route 189 in Nogales should plan for possible delays between Frank Reed Road and Interstate 19 as work crews shift traffic to continue work on flyover ramps connecting SR 189 and I-19.

Lane closures will alternate over the next several months while crews continue work on the ramps, which will remove delays for commercial trucks carrying international commerce and improve safety in the area of Nogales High School.

Restrictions are expected to be in place until spring 2021. Two lanes will remain open during daylight hours to accommodate heavier traffic. Drivers may want to use Target Range Road between SR 189 and I-19 to avoid potential delays in the work zone.

The ramps will connect in the median of SR 189 west of Frank Reed Road. Northbound drivers will enter the ramp from the left lane of SR 189 and enter I-19 just north of the existing on-ramp. Southbound drivers will enter the off-ramp north of the current off-ramp and enter SR 189 from the median. The existing ramps will remain open after construction is complete.

The improvements are expected to attract even more international commerce to Nogales, which currently sees about 80 percent of Arizona's trade with Mexico. Each year, about 360,000 trucks carrying produce and other products from Mexico currently enter the US in Nogales and follow SR 189 to I-19. Improvements to the Mariposa Port of Entry completed in 2014 will accommodate increasing traffic.

The work is being funded in part by a $25 million investment by the Arizona Legislature and a $25 million federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant. Doing the work as one project instead of two saves about $13 million compared with a two-phase project.

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/sr189.

PHOENIX – An Arizona Department of Transportation project that will speed up international commerce, boost the economy and make Nogales traffic safer has begun near Arizona’s southern border.

To make way for improvements to State Route 189 (Mariposa Road) in Nogales, the 3.75-mile road that connects the international border with Interstate 19, crews have been clearing brush from the path of the first of two flyover ramps that will connect northbound SR 189 with northbound I-19. Construction is scheduled to start in earnest next week and take about 18 months.   

“The improvements coming to State Route 189 are not only going to support international commerce and economic growth but make Mariposa Road safer for the local community,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “When everything is finished, these improvements are going to make it even better to live and do business in Nogales, Santa Cruz County and southern Arizona.”

Construction will begin almost immediately on the flyover ramp connecting northbound SR 189 with I-19. The ramp will begin west of Frank Reed Road, curve south of SR 189, cross over I-19 and SR 189 before connecting with I-19 just north of the current entrance ramp. Flyover ramps connecting with both directions of I-19 will eliminate the need for commercial trucks to stop for as many as three traffic lights before beginning the trip north toward Tucson and markets across the U.S.

Drivers using SR 189 should watch for short-term lane closures for exploratory drilling. No other lane restrictions are planned in the near future.

The $134 million project also includes building a roundabout at SR 189 and Target Range Road as well as a traffic signal, drainage improvements and additional work, including improvements east of I-19 and on Grand Avenue. The existing freeway on- and off-ramps will remain in use until the project is completed.

The flyover ramps also will improve safety by reducing truck traffic on SR 189. Most trucks will leave SR 189 before reaching Frank Reed Road, the primary entrance to Nogales High School, improving safety for students and their parents.

The work is funded in part by a $25 million investment by the Arizona Legislature and a $25 million federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant.

For more information, please visit azdot.gov/SR189.