PHOENIX ‒ The Arizona Department of Transportation has been selected to receive a $15 million federal grant toward the construction of a railroad overpass on State Route 347, the only direct route between the city of Maricopa and metro Phoenix.

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation is for a $55 million project intended to enhance safety and alleviate traffic backups at the SR 347 Union Pacific Railroad crossing in Maricopa.

Instead of waiting for trains to pass, motorists on SR 347 will be able to travel on an overpass above the tracks when ADOT completes the grade-separated interchange, which is slated for construction in fiscal year 2020. The new interchange also will offer better access for emergency responders.

ADOT and Maricopa officials have been working together for some time on a long-term solution for this crossing. After completing a feasibility study in 2007, ADOT partnered with the city of Maricopa to fund a design concept report and environmental analysis that began in 2012 and ultimately identified a preferred alternative.

“The reconstruction of the SR 347 interchange will enhance safety and address traffic congestion at the railroad crossing by allowing motorists, including emergency service vehicles, to pass over the tracks,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Maricopa has experienced explosive growth over the last decade and traffic volumes along this critical route will continue to climb, which is why this project has become a high priority for ADOT, Maricopa and regional transportation officials.”

More than 60 trains run daily through Maricopa – one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation – and that number is expected to grow.

“While this project has been a team effort, it would have been impossible without the ongoing support of Chairman Kelly Anderson and all the current and past members of the State Transportation Board,” Maricopa Mayor Christian Price said.

“I would also like to thank ADOT staff for their tireless work. They recognized the public safety importance and found the money in their budget, during one of the worst economic downturns, to keep this project moving forward.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation received 627 eligible applications totaling $10.1 billion, or 20 times the available funding, in requests for the seventh round of TIGER grants, which are awarded to transportation projects with significant regional or national impact. Approximately $500 million in funding was available.

Other Arizona projects that have received TIGER grants are:

• 2010: $63 million for a modern street car project in Tucson.
• 2012: $21.6 million for the rehabilitation of Interstate 15 Virgin River Bridge No. 6 in the far northwest corner of the state.
• 2014: $2.9 million for the Tawa’ovi Community Streets project for the Hopi tribal community in northeastern part of the state.
• 2014: $1.6 million for Central Phoenix Multimodal Transportation Improvement Plan.
• 2015: $10.3 million for city of Phoenix Grand Canal bike and pedestrian improvements.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation, in partnership with the city of Maricopa, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Federal Highway Administration, has received federal approval for the proposed bridge project on State Route 347 over the railroad crossing, clearing the way for the project to move forward when funding is available.

On March 18, the Federal Highway Administration issued a Finding of No Significant Impact after reviewing the Final Environmental Assessment, the definitive decision-making document federally required for the project.

This grants the final approval necessary for ADOT to begin the process of acquiring right of way, completing the design and beginning construction when funding is available.

The environmental review process, which includes preparing the draft and final environmental assessments, was conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

The estimated $55 million project is intended to alleviate traffic backups at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing in Pinal County by replacing the existing at-grade intersection with an overpass on SR 347, which is the only direct route between the city of Maricopa and metro Phoenix, so vehicle and train traffic do not impede one another.

More than 40 trains run daily through the middle of Maricopa, which has been one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. Future plans call for more than 100 trains to pass through Maricopa daily.

In June 2014, the project was added to ADOT’s Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program, including $18.8 million for design and right-of-way acquisition and $36.2 million for construction in fiscal year 2020:

• FY 2015: $5.5 million allocated for design and $500,000 allocated for right of way
• FY 2016: $5.5 million allocated for right of way
• FY 2017: $7.3 million allocated for right of way
• FY 2020: $36.2 million for construction

For more information on the SR 347 project, including a computer-generated video of the proposed grade separation, please visit the project webpage: azdot.gov/sr347.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the city of Maricopa, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Federal Highway Administration, will host a public hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 3 in Maricopa to discuss the recently released Draft Environmental Assessment for the State Route 347 at Union Pacific Railroad Study.

The proposed grade separation project at SR 347 would help alleviate traffic backups at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing in Pinal County by replacing the existing at-grade intersection with an overpass.

The hearing will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m. (presentation starts at 6:30 p.m.) in the Maricopa Unified School District Board Room, 44150 Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, in Maricopa.

The Environmental Assessment public comment period began on Nov. 18 and will end on Dec. 18, 2014. All comments received during the 30-day public comment period will be documented and responded to in the Final Environmental Assessment.

Comments can be provided in the following ways:

• At the public hearing
• In writing: ADOT SR 347 Project Team, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007
• Online
• Email
• Phone: 855.712.8530