S. Mountain Freeway meetings announced 

West Valley View
3/8/2006
John Machay, staff writer 

While a series of November 2005 meetings turned into heated forums for protestors whose homes and businesses could potentially be displaced by the future South Mountain Freeway, a pair of open houses scheduled for tonight and Wednesday aren’t expected to be anything of the sort. 

At least they’re not designed to be, said Matt Burdick, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transportation. 

“The main purpose of these meetings is to talk with folks and get their feedback on how the South Mountain Freeway’s I-10 connection points would alter the existing ramps and access that people are used to using today,” Burdick said. “It’s mainly geared for residents and businesses that are close to those connection points so they could be informed that if a freeway connects here, the way they get on to go to work, or the way they direct customers to their places of business, is going to change.” 

Those changes will affect on-ramps and roadways within a two-mile radius of one of three potential Interstate 10 connection points: 55th Avenue, 71st Avenue or Loop 101, Burdick said. 

“In some cases, some of those on-ramps might not feed directly onto the freeway anymore; they may be an access road type of system like you have over at the 101 and I-10, where at 99th and 91st avenues you have access roads,” he said. “We’re going to have big maps on display that show these changes, and what we’ll do is talk about each of the different connections and what would happen. If there are certain things that people don’t like, they can provide us with that input. That would be wonderful.” 

Expecting the expected
However, given the deluge of opinions that have sprung forth from residents of the areas surrounding the three possible connection points, Burdick is the first to concede that on-ramps might not be the only topic on attendees’ minds. 

“Obviously, there will be questions that will arise, and we’ll be prepared to answer those questions,” he said. “We’re not in a position to be buying businesses or buying homes at this point, but certainly we’ll have folks on hand who will be able to answer those questions as far as what the process is and what’s involved.” 

Those questions likely will include queries about the proposed Loop 101 alignment, which would require the bulldozing of 10 to 15 businesses and somewhere between 240 and 530 homes in Tolleson, according to ADOT figures. The path-clearing venture, which would take with it Tolleson Union High School, the municipal center and several industrial hubs, would “do away with the city’s character, history and culture,” Tolleson Mayor Adolfo Gamez has said. 

For that reason, a coalition of Tolleson residents has been championing the 55th Avenue option, which was ADOT’s original choice when it first drew up plans for the freeway in 1988. 

“That seems to be the way everyone’s thinking,” Burdick said. “Most people are all for the freeway as long as it connects somewhere else. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to connect somewhere.” 

And sacrifices will have to be made regardless of where that is, Burdick conceded. The 55th Avenue alignment would displace 120 houses and 78 businesses, while the 71st Avenue option would oust 780 houses and 15 businesses. 

Once the dust has settled, the South Mountain Freeway — the final leg of Loop 202 — will connect the West Valley to the East Valley. 

Tonight’s open house will run from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Phoenix West, 1500 N. 51st Ave. in Phoenix. Presentations will be given at 5 and 6 p.m. 

Wednesday’s session will be from 5 to 8 p.m. at Santa Maria Middle School, 7250 W. Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix. Presentations will begin at 6 and 7 p.m. 

More information on the South Mountain Freeway can be garnered from a special ADOT Web site that focuses on the controversial venture: www.southmountainfreeway.com.