Installation of welcome monument delayed

The welcome monument the city had hoped to install early Monday morning at the north end of town to greet visitors is on hold.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is holding up the installation of the monument, which will sit in the median of State Route 347 and welcome visitors coming to town from the north to the city.

According to Maricopa Digital Communications Manager Quinn Konold, the city changed the location it wanted to place the monument, which reopened the review of the project by ADOT. During that review, it was determined that there needed to be some sort of barrier around the monument to redirect vehicles away from the monument for safety reasons in case of an accident.

The project is now on hold pending a review of the appropriate type of barrier to be erected around the monument. The city is looking at curbing, a chain, or some form of guard rail, but also wants to be sure whatever barrier is chosen does not block the view of the monument.

The stylized “M” monument is the centerpiece of the city’s $2 million upgrade to the median through town from the northern border to the overpass just south of Honeycutt Rd.

ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said the state agency is working with the city to find the right barrier around the monument while keeping safety as its paramount concern.

“ADOT staff will work with the city on its plans, including consideration of options for safety barriers,” Nintzel said. “We can’t speculate about the timing of the process. The focus will be on highway safety.”

As work is finalized on the median project, the left lane is closed on SR 347 north of town daily, causing significant traffic backups. Currently, morning backups of more than a mile coming into town from the north where 347 is reduced to a single lane for construction. In the evening, the line of cars can stretch nearly to Casa Blanca Road.

In addition to the monument, the city project also is adding the landscaping, boulders, gabion boxes and lighted metal ornamental boxes to the median.