The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are performing an engineering study and completing an environmental document for possible improvements along US 95 between approximate MP 42 and MP 82. The study area is located on the US Army Proving Ground (YPG), on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and on private land in Yuma and La Paz Counties, Arizona.

Project Status:

ADOT and the FHWA identified Alternative D as the recommended alternative for the planned improvements to US 95 based on input from the public meetings held in February 2008 and interested agencies.

The proposed improvements would include constructing two additional travel lanes (a four-lane divided roadway)  between MP 42.0 and MP 70.2, completing intersection improvements along the new four-lane divided roadway, constructing new bridges at MP 61.5 ad MP 69.3, and replacing the existing Castle Dome Wash Bridge.

Additional detail on the evaluation of alternatives and the recommended alternative is provided in the Initial Design Concept Report (DCR).  The Final DCR and Environmental Document are expected to be complete in Fall of 2010.

Project Description:

US 95 is a two-lane roadway serving as the north-south link between Interstate 8 in Yuma and Interstate 10 in Quartzsite. US 95 functions as a trade route for commerce between Mexico and the United States. Within the study area, US 95 provides access to the YPG for commercial and military vehicles and also conveys agricultural and recreational traffic as it provides access to Martinez and Mittry Lakes and the Colorado River and Imperial Dam recreational facilities.

This corridor experiences large increases of traffic during the winter months due to seasonal visitors and agricultural workers. Increasing capacity and improving operational characteristics are concerns along US 95 due to steadily increasing traffic throughout the region and growth in the Yuma area. Projected development and increased operations at YPG are expected to add to the capacity and operational concerns for this corridor. Furthermore, US 95 is prone to flooding within the study area. There are several areas where water overtops the existing roadway during heavy storms resulting in lengthy closures of US 95 until the flooding subsides and the roadway becomes passable again.