2 more traffic lights slated for Maricopa roads

Drivers in Maricopa can look forward to two more traffic signals that should help alleviate problems at busy intersections after the City Council approved the projects at its meeting Tuesday night.

The lights are slated to go up at the intersections of Smith-Enke Road and Province Parkway, and White and Parker Road and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

Several months ago, residents from the Province community approached the city about putting up a signal at the development’s entrance because increased traffic on Smith-Enke was making it difficult for residents to turn left onto the road.

Chris Salas, city transportation manager, said drivers should see the new signal at that intersection by the end of summer. “The Province traffic signal, we will definitely get done under three months,” he said, adding that he was aiming to have the construction completed within 45 days, but a meter pedestal needed to energize the signals might not be delivered for two months.

However, the construction of the lights at White and Parker and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway will take considerably longer. The city and the contractor must hammer out deals with Electrical District No. 3 on underground utility lines and Union Pacific Railroad on a turn lane and right-of-way issues. Salas said the project could take close to nine months before completion.

“We haven’t got all the agreements signed, because we had to wait for the contractor. Now that we have them on board, we’ll see how long it will take,” he said. “… You can’t imagine a more complex project with utilities. It’s very difficult.”

The two projects carry a combined cost of a little more than $400,000. The signal on Smith-Enke will be paid out of the county half-cent road tax fund, while the one on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway will be funded by development impact fees.