One Maricopa intersection may soon find itself less prone to crashes.
Crews will begin construction June 10 on a traffic signal at the intersection of Desert Greens and Smith–Enke Roads in response to a rash of collisions last year, according to the city. This includes building a dedicated right-turn lane on westbound Smith–Enke Road to aid traffic flow onto Desert Greens Road.
During this time, Desert Greens Road will close between Colby Drive and Smith-Enke Road, with construction estimated to be completed in early August. Drivers may see occasional lane restrictions during construction, with some reduced to one lane.
Additionally, the new signal’s timing will be synchronized with the nearby Porter Road intersection to ensure smooth traffic flow.
The city also advised drivers to “slow down in work zones, remain alert and plan for possible travel delays.”
Maricopa City Council unanimously approved the project last April. The project is estimated to cost $874,000, according to the city budget.
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7 Responses
Now it will be red light runner crashes with people attempting to beat the light. Cars race at very unsafe speeds towards the 347 traveling westbound down Smith Enke every day with no regard for the speed limit, now it will be people accelerating to ridiculous speeds to beat that light.
East:
Yes, they will run that light also.
They go well over the speed limit (45mph) now. Speeding does create a “more” dangerous situation at Desert Green and Smith Enke today. The speed enforcement on Smith Enke is lacking. In the end, going 10 mph faster saves you seconds once you get to John Wayne if you do not hit another red light.
Synchronization will help.
Would that be the only light in town they accelerate to beat ?
A lack of planning is the true culprit. We will continue to see “fixes” for prior neglect by the town council in understanding the requirements for growth in an abnormally governed city. A city based on growth without any focus on infrastructure to support the growth is destined to be what we are living everyday. We finally have the state planning to make 347 increased to three lanes per side and nothing to handle that increase at the city limits. Traffic backs up to near the cement plant all the time. That is not a 347 problem. That is a City of Maricopa problem. There should be outer loops to manage incoming traffic to the east and west before it hits the city. As it stands the 347 work will benefit northbound traffic but the southbound will just get to the RED/Cobblestone jam sooner and then wait longer. Vote out the current council and demand those that receive your vote actually have your best interest in mind. When you see the biggest re-election signs on the corner make a mental note to not vote for the same governance that has put us in this increasing problem. We deserve better.
We’ve already had a death and multiple accidents at the corner of Smith Enke and Porter. With putting a Gas station at the intersection which will add more traffic and more accidents at that corner. The major problem is when the developers designed the city and the current councils at that time allowed them, there are only 2 major roads running East to West from John Wayne – Honeycut and Smith Enke. We need the belt lines around the city so as to relieve traffic on both roads! Current council should spend a little time negotiating with the Gila tribe and before they start developing the ASU land behind city hall as a corridor could be run all the way from 347 to Maricopa Casa Grande highway as there isn’t anything there currently. The Genie is already out of the bottle regarding the West side belt line as it would have to go on the other side of the Southern Dunes with all the current development there.
How about no more residents? Infrastructure, public safety, hospital beds, and lack of economic opportunities have doomed this “city” to an overcrowded slum and the owner of inmaricopa is partly to blame.
This is a stupid idea, and a waste of money.
There is no need to permit left turns at this intersection for any direction. Extend the median through the intersection and call it a day. People can turn at Smith Enke and Chase Drive, or Smith Enke and Santa Rosa Drive if they need a controlled intersection to make a left turn.
Consider hiring a new traffic engineer. Is this the same traffic engineer to made the traffic lanes on Honeycutt so narrow you car doesn’t fit anymore? Or the one who wanted to lower the speed limit on Honeycutt between White and Parker and Hartman to accommodate all of the “bicycle traffic” that doesn’t exist.