Public frustrated with east-west corridor timeline

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The main concern of Maricopa community members during an information meeting on the East-West Corridor Study Wednesday wasn’t how the project would be funded, or whether their neighborhood would be impacted by the noise

Instead, people were mostly concerned with when the project would become a reality.

In December 2011 Phoenix-based Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. began a study on behalf of Pinal County and the cities of Maricopa and Casa Grande to evaluate the need for an east-west corridor through the western region of Pinal County. Taking into account feedback from community members, already existing structures and environmental studies, several possible routes have been suggested.

The proposed corridor would stretch from State Route 347 to somewhere along the I-10 north of Casa Grande. One possible route begins at Farrell Road and connects up with SR 347, then follows Peters and Nall Road to Val Vista Drive where it continues east to the I-10. Another route begins the same but continues down SR 347 straight to Val Vista Drive. On Val Vista Drive near the Casa Grande Municipal Airport there are two suggested routes. One that falls closer to the airport and one that stays further north.

The study group also is evaluating the repercussions of a no-build alternative, which will be an option if any significant negative impacts to the cities or environment are discovered.

However, Jacobs Engineering study team member Berwyn Wilbrink said the projected population growth of both cities over the next few decades is forcing the need for this alternative route.

“We are looking 30 to 40 years into the future for how large we need to build these facilities,” Wilbrink said. “It’s not something that is right around the corner but we have to start planning it now while the right of way and space adjacent to where the parkway will be is available.”

Around 40 community members attended Wedneday’s meeting at the Maricopa Unified School District administration office and several voiced frustration with the lengthy planning process and the fact they won’t be driving the corridor anytime soon.

“In a best case scenario, or the perfect world, we would be looking at breaking ground in five years,” said study team member Andrew Smith. “But we have to follow a process to identify funds and then those funds have to be programmed … so there are many other hoops we have to jump through still.”

Currently the project has no funding source. However, Betsi Phoebus, another study team member, said environmental impact research around the corridor is being conducted to be eligible to receive federal support through the National Environmental Policy Act.

Other possibilities brought up Wednesday were foregoing the highway or freeway route, and making the transportation corridor a parkway.

A parkway most likely would have a top speed of 55 mph and use a modified way to accomplish a left turn called an indirect left-turn. Drivers who want to complete a left turn have to turn right at the light, merge all the way to the left into a U-turn break in the median, and complete a U-turn to go the other direction.