State transportation officials have taken another major step toward widening State Route 347.
The Arizona Department of Transportation announced today it has selected Sundt Construction as the highest-ranking contractor for the State Route 347 Improvement Project, a long-awaited effort to expand and modernize a 15-mile stretch of highway between Interstate 10 and the city of Maricopa.
The imperiled corridor runs through both Maricopa and Pinal Counties and is primarily located within the Gila River Indian Community.
ADOT said Sundt was chosen after an extensive review process. Contract negotiations for pre-construction services are expected to begin next week and be finalized in February. Once under contract, Sundt’s team will assist with final design work ahead of construction.
The planned improvements include:
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Adding one lane in each direction along SR 347 from I-10 to the city limits
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Rehabilitating the existing pavement along that same 15-mile stretch of roadway
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Constructing new grade-separated interchanges at Riggs Road and Mammoth Way
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Adding turn lanes and other intersection improvements at Casa Blanca Road and Maricopa Road
Transportation officials say the improvements, funded in part by a municipal sales tax that went into effect in October and a $20 million agreement with Pinal County, are designed to increase capacity, reduce congestion and improve safety along one of the region’s most heavily traveled and dangerous routes.
Construction on the SR 347 Improvement Project is expected to begin this summer and will take approximately three years to complete.
The total amount programmed for the SR 347 Improvement Project is $396 million. The project’s funding also includes money from the State of Arizona and the Maricopa Association of Governments. There is no federal funding for this project.
For more information or to sign up for project updates, visit AZDOT.gov/SR347.
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3 Responses
What happened to the Riggs Road overpass? I thought that was in the deal?
We need an overpass at Riggs, Casa Blanca and Maricopa Rd. If not the extra lanes will fill up just like they fill up now. We also need the 347 Highway to turn west around the City of Maricopa to the 238 and not dead end into the city. I’ve driven the 347 traffic jam for 9+ years. I was told many years ago we were waiting for matching federal funds. I guess that never materialized or the mayor was blowing smoke. The train overpass was done right. If we don’t get the highway done right we are throwing away money and we will have the same traffic and road repair problem. The traffic always starts at each of the individual lights, from the 10 frwy light to Maricopa Rd light, then again at Riggs then yet again at Casa Blanca to dead end at Rancho El Dorado. The North turn out of Ranch El Dorado community onto the 347 aleviated the community traffic 100%. That sama thing is what must be done to alleviate the 347 traffic. No stop lights. The 347 needs to go around our city west to the 238 with off and on ramps in and out of the City . Not a dead end. Our city of Maricopa is growing so fast. This looks like a bubble gum fix on a much larger problem that’s only going to get far far worse as more and more people are moving here in droves !!
As “Illuminati” says, what about the overpass? The first photo caption mentions “a new grade-separated interchange is planned,” and that means a bridge. (I looked up the meaning.)