Road closure causes delays, frustration

Driving along John Wayne Parkway in Maricopa most Friday evenings can fill residents with anticipation for a weekend full of fun and relaxation. However, last night marked the beginning of a long project at the intersection of State Route 347 and the Union Pacific railroad tracks that has led residents to anxiousness rather than eagerness.

Cars lined up along Maricopa’s main drag, some sitting long stretches because of the closure of State Route 347 this weekend. The idle time gave way to anger and disbelief by some of the city’s residents who wanted to know what was causing the delay.

“This is ridiculous,” said Maricopa resident Lisa Sterrett. Sterrett waited in the same spot for 30 minutes. “This makes me disgusted, there must be a way to reroute people to the other side of the tracks.”

The city tried to give residents plenty of forewarning before this weekend, explaining the weekend’s road closure for Union Pacific Railroad double-tracking project in numerous press releases and on its Web site. But some residents didn’t get the message.

The road will reopen to one-way traffic after the weekend until the project is complete, which is slated to take about six weeks.

Construction workers will be working around the clock to make sure the project is completed on time. The completion of the project will mean trains will now be able to travel two ways instead of one, freeing up rail traffic.

Until then, however, if you have a bike or a pair of running shoes, now would be a good time to put them to use if you plan on crossing either side of the railroad tracks.

Photo and video by Steve Sliker

Traffic Leads to Frustration in Maricopa from Steve Sliker on Vimeo.