While all four projects are important to the City’s future, Maricopa Mayor Christian Price was adamant during the presentation that addressing State Route 347 is the top priority.
“This was a chance for us to reiterate to one of our Senators the importance of getting federal funding to address and improve the 347,” Price said.
Sinema acknowledged the importance of expanding the highway. She also took the opportunity to impress on the group her commitment to ensuring that Arizona gets its fair share of funding from the recently passed federal infrastructure law.
State Route 347
· The State just completed a scoping study that proposes to widen the existing roadways to six lanes, three in each direction.
· Includes safety improvements and traffic mitigations.
· Proposes to reconstruct interchange at I-10 to become a diverging diamond.
The East/West Corridor (also known as Sonoran Desert Parkway)
· The corridor will provide Maricopa residents with a new way in/out of town and connect West Pinal County to East Pinal County.
· Provides connection to I-10 with a new interchange at Val Vista.
· First Phase will begin construction this spring.
Green Road Connector Bypass
· Provides a new access point to State Route 238 which is one of Maricopa’s major roads.
· Would diminish traffic on SR 347.
· Serves an area with tremendous economic development potential
Interstate 11
· Would provide alternate route to Mountain West and connection to existing I-11 in Nevada.
· Could serve as bypass to Phoenix for trucks, thereby reducing congestion, emissions, and accidents for local traffic.
· Further studies and evaluations must take place before construction could be considered.