The Arizona Department of Transportation as opened a public comment period on an array of proposed projects in the latter half of the decade.

Expanding highways, improving bridges and paving are some of the major projects proposed by ADOT with the lion’s share of spending earmarked for Maricopa and Pima counties.

Some of the larger projects include widening Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande, as well as providing new ramp connections between I-10 and Loop 101.

The majority of funding would come from a mixture of federal and state taxes, plus gas and vehicle license revenue.

The public comment period ends Friday, May 24, and the state Transportation Board is expected to consider formal action on expenditures at its June 21 meeting.

A feedback form can also be obtained via email or by phone at 855-712-8530. Public comments also may be made at a public hearing of the state Transportation Board scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, May 17.  

Details from the release: 

A major emphasis of the proposed $7.9 billion tentative program is improving highway pavement and bridge infrastructure throughout greater Arizona, which encompasses areas outside of Maricopa and Pima counties. The plan would provide more than $2.4 billion for these high-priority improvements during the next five years. This amounts to an average investment of approximately $600 million per year to preserve, rehabilitate and replace pavement and bridges, including: 

• $508 million in pavement projects on interstates 10, 17 and 40.
• $690 million in pavement projects on other routes, including US 93 and 60, and state routes 64, 160, 260 and 347.
• $170 million in bridge projects on the interstates and $82 million on other routes.

The program provides a total of $685 million over five years for projects that improve highway safety, efficiency and functionality, such as intersection improvements, smart technology and adding shoulders.

The tentative program also allocates $495 million for projects that widen highways or improve interchanges across greater Arizona, including:

• Constructing the Interstate 40/US 93 West Kingman Interchange.
• Widening and improving US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 in Kingman, including expanding three segments of the highway from two to four lanes. The US 93 improvements include the ongoing widening project near Wickenburg, along with new projects near Cane Springs and Big Jim Wash.
• Widening the last two-lane section of State Route 260 in the Lion Springs area between Payson and Heber-Overgaard. This will complete a four-lane divided highway along the entire SR 260 corridor.

In the Maricopa County region, the program features $2.5 billion in construction projects planned in conjunction with the Maricopa Association of Governments. Those projects include:

• Widening Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande. The I-10 Wild Horse Pass Corridor will have four projects, including the construction of the I-10 bridges over the Gila River, expected to go into construction later this spring.
• Extending Loop 303 between Van Buren Street and Maricopa County 85 starting in 2025.
• Widening I-10 between State Route 85 and Citrus Road in the far West Valley starting in 2025.
• Providing new HOV ramp connections between I-10 and Loop 101 starting in 2025
• Reconstructing the intersection where US60 (Grand Avenue) intersects 35th Avenue and Indian School Road. The rebuilt intersection would separate cross traffic from Grand Avenue and the existing railroad crossing to improve traffic flow and safety, starting in 2025.

In Pima County, in association with the Pima Association of Governments, the program includes $849 million toward:

• I-10 improvements from Kino to Country Club, which includes building a new interchange at I-10 and Country Club Road, while also widening I-10 in the area starting in 2025.
• Reconstructing the I-19 interchange at Irvington Road starting in 2025.