City to get traffic relief from federal stimulus funds

The windfall from the American Rescue Act is reaching Maricopa, and City Manager Rick Horst knows just what he wants to do with it.

The city will receive a $12.44 million infusion of cash, and Horst proposed to the city council Tuesday night that it be used exclusively for transportation and utility projects. About half of that amount will be used to address problem roads in the city, including the most vexing of them all, the intersection of Smith-Enke Road and State Road 347.

The intersection, which is one of the most congested in the city and sees a good number of accidents, will get a major overhaul under a proposed four-pronged plan, that includes:

• A second dedicated right turn lane from westbound Smith-Enke onto northbound SR347. The entrance to CVS Pharmacy would move to the east to allow for the longer, two-lane turn lane.

•  A double left turn lane from Smith-Enke south on SR347, and

• A dedicated right turn lane from southbound SR347 onto State Route 238.

• A dedicated right turn lane with no stop required for motorists leaving Rancho El Dorado via Lakeview Dr. to head north on SR347.

Horst said that the double left and right turn “stacking lanes” from Smith-Enke onto SR347 will allow twice as many vehicles to clear each green light. As a result, the light for the turn lane does not have to stay green as long, thus keeping through-traffic moving at a greater rate and reducing backups.

The Lakeview Drive component is an acceleration lane onto northbound SR347, allowing vehicles to get to highway speed prior to merging onto the highway, enhancing traffic flow.

Another road infrastructure project will extend Edwards Road through Wildcat Landscape Supply and under the overpass to provide access to land the city hopes to see developed on the southeast side of overpass. Formerly called South Bridge, that area will now go by Maricopa Station as it is seen as an extension of the project of the same name to develop the eastern side of the railroad tracks in the Heritage District off Honeycutt Road.

Horst said the city will also make significant improvements to Garvey Road, which is, he said, “the worst road in the entire city and absolutely needs to be improved as part of this project.”

Such infrastructure projects may not be glamorous, he noted, but they are crucial for a growing city like Maricopa.

“These projects allow us to not have to put city tax dollars toward these kinds of things, and we can save those dollars for other projects,” Horst said. “It also allows us to do projects that benefit the greatest number of people.

“When we have city dollars, sometimes we have groups coming out of the woodwork for the funding and it tends to benefit a smaller number of people,” he continued. “Using this money on infrastructure allows us to grow holistically and use the funds to do projects that will help us grow the city. And that allows us to continue to reduce our taxes, which is one of our primary goals.”

The balance of the stimulus funding will be targeted to utility infrastructure, particularly enhancing the city’s water resources and accessibility.