ADOT seeks $300M federal infrastructure grant for I-10 expansion

The Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking a federal grant to supplement state funds for the long-awaited Interstate 10 expansion between Chandler and Casa Grande.

More money means more lanes for the expansion, the agency said.

ADOT has applied for a grant through the Federal Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for an added $300 million to supplement the $400 million state appropriation signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this month. That commitment of state dollars made ADOT eligible to apply for the federal competitive grant.

There is also $290 million previously budgeted, for a potential project total of $990 million, ADOT said in a news release. Construction is funded in part by Proposition 400, a dedicated half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004.

ADOT is collaborating closely with the Gila River Indian Community and Maricopa Association of Governments on the I-10 project, and the ADOT application has also gained the vital support of the Arizona congressional delegation, state legislators, and local and regional elected officials. More than 50 letters of support have been received from multiple chambers of commerce, trade associations as well as large and small businesses, according to the agency.

“This project is essential for Arizona to enhance the safety and traffic capacity of I-10 with the added benefit of positively impacting our economy,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said in the news release. “Interstate 10 is a Key Economic Corridor. Commercial traffic on I-10 carries significant numbers of products and commodities, many of which are manufactured or produced right here in Arizona. These critical items reach every corner of the United States and internationally.”

The grant award announcement is expected sometime this fall. Meanwhile, an engineering and environmental study for the project is underway in cooperation with the Gila River Indian Community and Maricopa Association of Governments. Additionally, a public hearing for the project is planned in late summer.

Following completion of required environmental review and clearance, the project is expected to start in 2023, beginning with expanding the bridges that carry traffic over the Gila River. Should the federal money not be awarded to the state, ADOT will have contingencies prepared to maximize the use of available dollars for lane expansion.

Target completion date for the full project is sometime in 2026.

For information on the project, click here.