Grand Avenue widening projects set to kick off next year
Construction to widen the remaining stretch of US 60 (Grand Avenue) between 83rd Avenue and Loop 303 to create a continuous six-lane arterial west of Interstate 17 is set to begin by summer 2009.

The widening work will consist of two projects – 99th to 83rd Avenue and Loop 303 to 99th Avenue – that will be awarded as separate construction contracts. The exact location where the widening work will begin has not yet been determined.

The widening project from 99th to 83rd avenues is expected to take about a year to complete. The project from Loop 303 to 99th Avenue, which is several miles longer than the other segment, is expected to be complete in 2011.

ADOT plans to host a construction open house in spring 2009 to provide an opportunity for the community to learn more about construction plans and meet the construction staff. Just before the start of construction, ADOT will begin sending regular email updates with updates on construction-related restrictions and activities to subscribers on the Grand Avenue mailing list.

Construction to widen Grand Avenue to three continuous lanes in each direction from 83rd Avenue west to Loop 303 is scheduled to begin in summer 2009.

Access management and other improvements recommended for
Grand Avenue from Loop 101 to McDowell Road
ADOT and the cities of Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria are currently completing a study of improvements to Grand Avenue from Loop 101 to McDowell Road to improve traffic flow.

Although they are different in each city, the recommended improvements primarily include access management measures to improve traffic flow by reducing the number of turn movements on this busy arterial, such as driveway and median closures, intersection removals, intersection improvements and new right-turn in/right-turn out lanes. In addition, new pedestrian and street lighting, screen walls, decorative fencing, sidewalks, landscaping and relocating utilities underground are being recommended in certain areas to enhance aesthetics and safety.

All Grand Avenue improvements evaluated in the current study are scheduled for implementation in Phase I (2006-2010) of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Construction of these improvements is expected to occur in 2010. Other improvements to this segment of Grand Avenue, including proposed grade separations (overpasses or underpasses) at certain intersections, are funded in later phases of the RTP.

Public meetings to present the recommendations were held in late June and early July. Information about the improvements planned in each city as part of the study recommendations is available on the Current Studies section of ADOT’s Grand Avenue Web site.

Three projects rank highly for future Grand Avenue
improvements from Loop 303 to Loop 101
Three projects have emerged in a current ADOT study as the highest priorities to improve traffic flow on Grand Avenue between Loop 303 and Loop 101, once the upcoming widening projects are complete. Those projects, in order of priority, are:

• Interchange improvements at Bell Road and Grand Avenue (a diamond interchange or overpass with connector road) in Surprise
• An overpass at 103rd Avenue over Grand Avenue in Sun City
• Realignment of Thunderbird Road at Grand Avenue in El Mirage

The projects have been selected as draft recommendations in the Grand Avenue Feasibility Study to evaluate projects along this section of Grand Avenue for implementation in Phase II (2011-2015) of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). 

In late March, the initial study recommendations were presented to the public for comment at a series of public open houses along the Grand Avenue corridor. Feedback from community members at those meetings indicated they generally agreed with the study recommendations.

Projects included in the study were recommended to ADOT by the local governments and communities along the route. ADOT held public open houses in fall 2007 to inform the community about the study and get early input on projects to be included for evaluation in the study.

Several criteria – including public input, construction feasibility, engineering and cost factors, and environmental, right of way and access impacts – were used to prioritize projects in the study. To ensure a high level of community input during the study process, ADOT formed a citizen focus group composed of more than a dozen representatives from community and stakeholder groups along this segment of Grand Avenue to help evaluate and prioritize potential projects. The Grand Avenue Working Group’s project rankings were used by ADOT in helping to determine the draft study recommendations.

Several additional projects were also evaluated as part of the feasibility study, but were ranked as lower priorities than the top three projects, based on the available RTP funding. Those projects, which are listed in random order, include:

• Intersection improvements at Greenway Road
• A diamond-type interchange at Meeker/Reems Road
• A diamond-type interchange at 107th Avenue
• Closure of the drainage channel from Dysart Road to the Agua Fria River
• Landscaping, sidewalks and other improvements along various locations

These projects will be considered for implementation in the future, should additional regional or local funding become available.

The draft study will be submitted to the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) soon to be evaluated for implementation in the RTP.

Interchange improvements at Grand Avenue and Bell Road – including a Bell Road overpass that would eliminate 40,000 vehicles per day crossing Grand Avenue at this intersection – was identified in an ADOT study as one of three top priority projects to improve future traffic flow on Grand Avenue.