September 14, 2026

Manfredi: Maricopa needs more than one dependable way in and out

By Vice Mayor Vincent Manfredi
Sep 14, 2026

Letter to the editor

Editor,

Last week, I wrote about the work that moved SR 347 widening into construction. This week, I want to talk about what comes next, because Maricopa needs more dependable roads to get around and out of our city.

More lanes on the 347 will help. We also need alternatives when a crash or closure disrupts that road. Anyone trying to get to work or make it home to their family knows why this matters. We should be working on those connections while the widening is underway.

The John Wayne Parkway railroad overpass shows what a completed project can change. Before it opened in 2019, trains regularly stopped traffic through the center of Maricopa. Today, drivers cross above the tracks. That removed a daily source of delays for residents and first responders.

I served on the council while that project moved through funding, construction, and opening. It took years of work by city staff, councilmembers, ADOT, and our federal and regional partners. I am proud to have been part of the council during that work, and everyone who helped get it built deserves credit.

Sonoran Desert Parkway was another important step. The first segment opened in October 2023, connecting John Wayne Parkway with Porter Road. The city funded the roughly $30 million project, including the bridge over the Santa Rosa Wash.

For Santa Rosa Springs residents, that bridge provided another way into and out of their neighborhood when trains or rain affected their usual route. That is a practical improvement families can use. The larger parkway plan envisions a connection toward Casa Grande and Interstate 10, giving us a direction for the work ahead.

SR 238 is another part of that work. In March, the city sought a contractor to improve 1.89 miles west of SR 347. The proposal included additional lanes, sidewalks, drainage work, and traffic signals.

I want us to keep pursuing the Green Road Loop and the possible Seed Farm Road connection between Smith Enke Road and Interstate 10. Over time, that connection could provide another route in and out of Maricopa.

Making the Seed Farm Road connection happen will take a lot of work with the Gila River Indian Community. I believe it is possible. Our progress on the 347 has shown what grit and determination can accomplish when we keep working with our partners. We need that same persistence as we pursue this connection.

For each route, we need to determine how it would connect to existing roads, what agreements are needed, and how we would pay for it. Residents deserve clear answers about which projects are being studied, which have funding, and which are ready for construction.

Local streets need the same attention. A better highway does little for someone who still struggles to safely leave their neighborhood or get through a nearby intersection. We need to address those problems as we work on the larger corridors, including railroad crossings where delays affect access and emergency response.

This also matters to our efforts to bring jobs to Maricopa. A business needs employees and deliveries to arrive reliably. As a small business owner, I understand that. Road access is part of making Maricopa a place where more people can work closer to home.

My service on regional transportation boards has been one way to keep these needs in front of the agencies involved in planning and funding. I am one of seven votes on our council. Getting projects built also requires people outside Maricopa to work with us, and those relationships require continued attention.

I know residents are tired of waiting. The overpass and Sonoran Desert Parkway show that projects discussed for years can become roads we use every day. I want the next set of connections moving through the planning and funding process while we finish the work already underway. Maricopa needs more dependable access, and I will keep working toward it.