Utility work to close Honeycutt Road lane for a while

Commuting eastbound on Honeycutt Road will be more difficult for the next several months as the city on Monday began a construction project that will close the outer lane.

The lane currently is closed along the one-mile stretch from State Route 347 east to Santa Rosa Parkway with electronic signage alerting motorists.

The lane will reopen Fridays-Sundays, and close again Monday mornings for until the project is completed, tentatively expected July 30. Work on the project will progress eastward to Porter Road.

The lane closure will accommodate two projects. Zayo, a Colorado telecommunication service provider, will install new fiber optic wireline for internet to several city schools and libraries along the following routes:

• Honeycutt Road between Plainview Street and Porter Road
• Porter Road between Smith-Enke and Bowlin roads
• Bowlin Road between Porter and White and Parker roads
• White and Parker between Bowlin Road to Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway
• Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway between White and Parker and Peters and Nall roads
• Peters and Nall Road from Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway to Russell Road
• Russell Road between Peters and Nall and Trading Post roads
• Trading Post Road between Russell and Anderson roads
• Anderson Road from Russell Road to a point about one mile south

Several schools will get the fiber optic connection, including Butterfield and Saddleback elementary schools, Sequoia Pathway Academy, Leading Edge Academy and Legacy Traditional School.

The second project is being done by Sturgeon Electric of Phoenix, which will install conduit, fiber and backhaul radios for traffic signals along Honeycutt Road between Plainview and White and Parker Road, then continue south on White and Parker Road to city hall.

According to city spokesperson Luis Vila, the city does not yet have a complete construction schedule from Sturgeon outlining when lanes on Honeycutt will be restricted.