SR 86

The transportation why behind Why, Arizona

The transportation why behind Why, Arizona

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The transportation why behind Why, Arizona

The transportation why behind Why, Arizona

By David Rookhuyzen / ADOT Communications
January 21, 2020

Good ol' Why, Arizona.

This unincorporated community in southern Arizona of just over 160 people (as of the last census) always ranks high on the list of weird town names in Arizona, and often makes the list for the most unusual place name in the country.

So what does an off-kilter town name have to do with transportation? There are a couple of theories about the name's origin that float around, but, believe it or not, the most repeated answer comes down to highways.

Why sits at the junction of state routes 85 and 86 in southwestern Arizona, just north of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the Tohono O'odham Nation. Back in the day, that intersection was a "Y" intersection. According to some sources, people in the area got used to saying they lived at "the Y," referring to this junction.

When the community was big enough to warrant a post office, residents told authorities that their community was called "Y."

The only hiccup was the law required all communities have a name consisting of at least three letters. So residents came back with "Why." Same sound and just the right number of letters. Problem solved.

Years later, the intersection of state routes 85 and 86 was moved slightly south and reconfigured for safety, removing that "Y" naming impetus all together. 

But that legacy lives on every time someone heading to or from Rocky Point sees a sign with the community's name and stops to ask: "Why?"

You can’t see us yet, but we’re working on new phase of Ajo Way improvements

You can’t see us yet, but we’re working on new phase of Ajo Way improvements

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You can’t see us yet, but we’re working on new phase of Ajo Way improvements

You can’t see us yet, but we’re working on new phase of Ajo Way improvements

July 27, 2018

By Tom Herrmann / ADOT Communications

You know what they say about icebergs. There’s much more to them than meets the eye.

Although an iceberg would be nice in this heat, no one expects one on Ajo Way (State Route 86) in Tucson anytime soon. But there is much more going on than most people will see as crews from ADOT and our contractor, FNF Construction, begin work on the second half of the I-19/Ajo Way traffic interchange project.

For the next few weeks we’ll be putting things in place to begin what will be an 18-month project. We’ll be positioning traffic control, creating a work area for the construction team and doing other things our engineers find exciting.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be making adjustments to utility lines in the area, and you’ll see some minor impacts on traffic.

Down the road we’ll be rebuilding the Ajo Way bridge over the Santa Cruz River – we’ll do half of the bridge at a time to avoid closing it – and replacing the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 19. We’ll also be building a new exit ramp from southbound I-19 to Irvington Road. It’s a braided ramp – one ramp will fly over the other – that will allow drivers to enter and exit the freeway without having to maneuver around each other. We started work on the braided ramp during phase one of the project, and you can see the result atop this post.

We’ll stay out of your way as much as we can. Just know that even if you can’t see anyone in a hard hat, we’re there, someplace, working to make a better roadway.

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

Turning the corner on Pima County projects in 2018

January 16, 2018

TUCSON ‒ Removing the bridge that once carried westbound Interstate 10 traffic over Ina Road was the first step in what will be a busy 2018 in the Tucson area for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Tucson will see the completion of the first phase of renovations at Ajo Way and Interstate 19, the near completion of a new interchange at I-10 and Ina Road and a project to ease congestion at I-10 interchanges serving fast-growing areas east of downtown Tucson.

At Ajo Way (State Route 86), ADOT has created a single-point urban interchange, the third in the Tucson area with a single set of traffic signals controlling all traffic movements. After the first phase of the project is complete this spring, ADOT will prepare for the 18-month second phase of work, which will widen Ajo Way and I-19, create a new Ajo Way bridge over the Santa Cruz River and construct a new Michigan Avenue pedestrian bridge over I-19.

The first phase of the Ajo Way project cost about $40 million, and the second phase is estimated to cost $27 million.

On the last weekend in January, westbound I-10 traffic at Ina Road in Marana will begin sharing the new pavement that now carries eastbound traffic, with a concrete barrier separating the directions of travel. The move will allow construction crews to build the eastern half of the Ina Road bridge and complete the remaining work to widen both I-10 and Ina Road. The project, which also includes a second new bridge carrying Ina Road over the Santa Cruz River, is on schedule for completion in early 2019.

ADOT is overseeing the $128 million Ina Road project, which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority. The town of Marana is contributing $7.9 million toward the cost of the new bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

East of downtown Tucson, ADOT will continue making improvements to several interchanges to improve traffic flow. In 2017, ADOT added a traffic signal and a right turn bay at the end of the Houghton Road eastbound exit ramp. Beginning this spring, crews will start adding traffic signals at the eastbound 10 exits for Wilmot, Rita and Kolb roads, with the work scheduled for completion before the end of the year. At Rita Road, crews will add a right turn lane on the eastbound exit and a second merging lane for the westbound on-ramp.

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.

Major improvements along SR 86 due to growth southwest of Tucson

Major improvements along SR 86 due to growth southwest of Tucson

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Major improvements along SR 86 due to growth southwest of Tucson

Major improvements along SR 86 due to growth southwest of Tucson

March 23, 2016

TUCSON – Built in 1935 as a two-lane roadway through sparsely populated areas, State Route 86, also known as Ajo Way, has developed into a vital link in Tucson’s transportation system as development and traffic increase on the city’s southwest side.

To help the community keep up with residential and commercial growth, the Arizona Department of Transportation is planning major improvements to this east-west corridor connecting with Interstate 19.

Two projects aimed at relieving traffic congestion are already underway between Valencia Road (milepost 159) and the Interstate 19/Ajo Way junction (milepost 172), widening seven miles of the highway and modernizing the Interstate 19 interchange.

“These improvements will add capacity while making it easier for motorists to navigate through this area, which is seeing tremendous growth,” ADOT Southcentral District Engineer Rod Lane said.

This month, ADOT began widening SR 86 from Valencia to Kinney roads (mileposts 159-166). Between Valencia Road and Sheridan Avenue, the highway will be expanded from two lanes to four lanes, while the urban section from Sheridan Avenue to Kinney Road will be upgraded to a six-lane highway.

Initial work on the $41 million project includes vegetation and earth removal to prepare for new travel lanes. That work is expected to begin in mid-April.

Next, this spring ADOT launched the first phase of a $40 million, two-year project to replace the antiquated I-19/Ajo Way traffic interchange, which was built in 1965. The new interchange will feature a wider 218-foot-long bridge over I-19 and a single set of signals controlling traffic entering and exiting the interstate rather than signals at multiple locations.

The design for the revamped interchange is similar to the I-19/Valencia Road interchange. The project 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.

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

A five-and-a-half-mile section of Ajo Way (mileposts 167-172) between these two projects is the subject of an ongoing ADOT study to determine what improvements are needed to accommodate the more than 44,000 vehicles per day projected to use this section by 2030. No construction funding has been identified for making improvements to this stretch.

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 511.

Transportation projects in 2015 to drive economic development in Arizona

Transportation projects in 2015 to drive economic development in Arizona

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Transportation projects in 2015 to drive economic development in Arizona

Transportation projects in 2015 to drive economic development in Arizona

February 5, 2015

PHOENIX — The new year is shaping up to be a big year for the Arizona Department of Transportation, as the agency will be working on several new and existing projects that will aid economic development and support the efficient movement of goods and services across the state.

All of the projects will be funded with federal and state highway funds, which are collected through gas and vehicle license taxes. In the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas, voters have approved supplemental tax revenue that enables more transportation projects to move forward in their respective regions. 

Phoenix-Area Projects for 2015

Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway
ADOT expects to release the Record of Decision for the long-proposed South Mountain Freeway this spring and work toward selecting a contractor for the proposed $1.9 billion project. The 22-mile-long freeway would run east and west along Pecos Road and then turn north between 55th and 63rd avenues, connecting with I-10 on each end. The South Mountain Freeway is also part of the Regional Transportation Plan funding passed by Maricopa County voters in 2004 through Proposition 400. 

Loop 101 and Loop 202 Widening Projects in East Valley
Much of the focus on freeway improvements in the metro Phoenix area will remain on projects that broke ground in 2014 and are due for completion in 2016. The $73 million Loop 101 widening project between Shea Boulevard and Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway) in the Scottsdale area is adding an additional lane in each direction along 11 miles of the Pima Freeway, as well as merge lanes between most major interchanges. The $109 million project to widen the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway between Loop 101 in Tempe and Broadway Road in east Mesa also will advance, with new general purpose lanes being added between Loop 101 and Gilbert Road, along with HOV lanes between Gilbert Road and Broadway Road.

Interstate 10/Loop 303 Interchange
Among the new freeway projects scheduled to start this year is the “south half” of the Interstate 10/Loop 303 Interchange, which will complete all ramp connections between the two freeways in Goodyear. Work is expected to start this fall. The north half of the interchange opened last August and, combined with a widened Loop 303 north of I-10, has been embraced by West Valley communities as much-needed infrastructure to help drive economic development in the region. 

Additional Loop 303 Improvements in Northwest Valley
Farther north along Loop 303, ADOT will launch a project to add an interchange at El Mirage Road by this spring. The new interchange will be built at the same time that crews are improving Loop 303 into a six-lane freeway between Grand Avenue (US 60) and Happy Valley Parkway in Peoria. A third project already underway is creating improved connections at the Loop 303/Grand Avenue interchange. All three projects are scheduled for completion in 2016.

US 60 Improvements in Surprise
Also in Surprise, a project to build a Bell Road bridge over Grand Avenue (US 60) and new ramps connecting the two roadways is scheduled to start late in the year, after a design-build contracting team is selected by ADOT. 

Tucson-Area Projects for 2015 

Interstate 19 Traffic Interchange Reconstruction (Ajo Way)
In 2015, ADOT will begin work to replace the existing Interstate 19 traffic interchange at State Route 86, also known as Ajo Way, with a single-point urban interchange. The modern interchange will feature a single set of traffic signals, rather than signals at multiple locations. The $86 million project is expected to improve traffic flow and enhance safety for motorists traveling through Tucson’s southwest side. Construction is expected to continue through 2017 and will also include widening I-19 from Ajo Way to Irvington Road and widening SR 86 to three lanes in each direction between 16th Avenue and Holiday Isle.

State Route 77 Widening (Tangerine Road to Pinal County Line)
After starting work in summer 2014, ADOT will continue efforts to upgrade a six-mile section of SR 77 (Oracle Road) between Tangerine Road and the Pinal county line from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. Along with widening the roadway, planned improvements include raised medians, traffic signal and drainage improvements, wildlife crossings, sound walls and multiuse paths. The $33.9 million project is slated to take two years to complete. 

State Route 86 Widening (Valencia to Kinney Roads)
In 2015, ADOT is expected to begin construction on expanding SR 86 (Ajo Highway) in each direction from Valencia to Kinney roads in Pima County, 10 miles west of downtown Tucson. This seven-mile-long, $55 million project in Pima County will enhance safety and improve traffic flow on the highway, which serves as a regional transportation route between Tucson and south-central Arizona. SR 86 provides access to the Tohono O'odham Nation and is widely used to reach the popular tourist destination in Mexico called Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point.

Statewide Projects for 2015

Northern Arizona

US 93 Widening (State Route 71 to State Route 89 and Antelope Wash sections)
ADOT will continue long-standing efforts to transform the heavily traveled corridor between Phoenix and Las Vegas into a modern four-lane divided highway throughout the entire 200-mile stretch with two US 93 widening projects this year. After beginning last year, ADOT will complete upgrading a three-mile segment of US 93 (Antelope Wash), located approximately 20 miles north of Wikieup (mileposts 101-104) this summer. A second US 93 widening project (State Route 71 to State Route 89), just north of Wickenburg (mileposts 185-190), is expected to break ground this spring. 

State Route 89A Spot Widening (Vista Overlook to JW Powell)
This $22.5 million project is slated to improve safety and traffic flow by widening the roadway and constructing passing lanes entering and exiting Oak Creek Canyon through an eight-mile stretch from the popular tourist destination Vista Overlook to the JW Powell interchange, three miles south of Flagstaff. Design of the project is nearly complete and ADOT hopes to start construction this year.

Interstate 40 Pavement Improvements (various projects)
ADOT has several major resurfacing projects in the works along the nearly 360-mile-long I-40, which is one of Arizona’s Key Commerce Corridors, as it stretches from California to the New Mexico state line, Three major pavement preservation projects are set to take place in 2015. This spring will complete final paving on the Rattlesnake Wash to US 93 (mileposts 57-72) section east of Kingman after the project began last summer. Later this year, ADOT will start two new resurfacing projects east of Flagstaff, including the Navajo county line to Minnetonka (milepost 250-259) and Walnut Canyon to Twin Arrows (milepost 214-218) segments.

US 89 Landslide Repairs (near Bitter Springs)
ADOT is scheduled to reopen US 89 south of Page after the highway was closed on Feb. 20, 2013 after a landslide caused serious damage to the highway near the Echo Cliffs. Major work on the repairs began on Aug. 11, 2014 as crews began excavating nearly one million cubic yards of rock near the highway to build a buttress, which will stabilize and reinforce the mountain slope that carries the roadway. The $25 million repair project remains on target to reopen to traffic this spring, in advance of this summer’s tourism season in Page and Lake Powell. 

Southern Arizona

US 60 Widening (Silver King/Superior Streets)
This spring, ADOT is expected to start a project to convert the last remaining two-lane roadway segment on US 60 between Phoenix and Superior into a modern, four-lane divided highway. The $45 million project (mileposts 222-227), which will also include improving the urban section of highway in Superior, is expected to take two years to complete.

US 95 Fortuna Wash Bridge
This $13.5 million project is part of a larger corridor improvement project for US 95, the north and south corridor between Yuma and Quartzsite. US 95 is also the main route to the Yuma Proving Ground, which is one of the largest employers in Yuma County and one of the Army’s busiest training sites in the U.S. This project includes a bridge over Fortuna Wash, which often floods during heavy rains. This project is scheduled to begin in the spring.

US 95 San Luis Street Improvements
This $11 million project includes reconfiguring San Luis Port of Entry traffic off US 95 in San Luis to facilitate business along Main Street. The project, which began in October 2014, will help the circulation of traffic, enhance pedestrian safety and improve access to downtown businesses near the U.S.-Mexico international border. Work will be completed this year.

Major Studies

Interstate 11
ADOT’s Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study continues to move forward. This year, work will begin on an Environmental Impact Statement which will allow ADOT to begin an environmental study in the area between Nogales and Wickenburg, part of the proposed Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor. The $15 million Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement is expected to take three years to complete, once work gets underway later this year. Interstate 11, which will connect Arizona to the entire Intermountain West, is one of our state’s Key Commerce Corridors. I-11 is being planned as a multimodal freight corridor and a manufacturing belt that will drive trade, commerce, job growth and economic development while facilitating strong connections to other major markets.

Passenger Rail
The next major step for ADOT’s Passenger Rail Corridor Study: Tucson to Phoenix is to publish the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public review. Three public hearings will be held later this year in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties to allow community members to comment on the recommendations of the study. Following the public review process, the final recommendations and environmental considerations will be issued on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for federal approval. ADOT is currently evaluating three final rail alternatives. The Passenger Rail Corridor Study is expected to be completed later this year. ADOT’s mission is to evaluate and implement modes of transportation to provide a well-balanced, flexible transportation system that moves people and commerce throughout Arizona.

Check it out: Wildlife underpass installation

Check it out: Wildlife underpass installation

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Check it out: Wildlife underpass installation

Check it out: Wildlife underpass installation

April 30, 2014

We’ve got a fascinating video to share with you today that shows the installation of a wildlife underpass on SR 86.

This particular underpass consists of 15 total pre-cast arches, each weighing in at about 22 tons (in case you’re wondering why you don’t see each of those 15 arches, the time-lapse video shows the installation of just one side of the underpass).

The precast arches were dropped into place, but not until quite a bit of work beforehand...

The underpass installation, which was also part of a widening project along SR 86, took place after crews constructed traffic detour, completed excavation and poured the footers and foundation.

If this video grabs your interest, you’ll want to stay tuned. Next week, we have a more in-depth video and blog post coming your way about wildlife crossings.