Public input invited for RR crossing project

Residents are invited to learn about and comment on a proposed grade separation project at State Route 347 and the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway intersection, near the Union Pacific railroad crossing 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The meeting, conducted by the Arizona Department of Transportation in conjunction with the city and the Union Pacific Railroad, will be at Maricopa Unified School District offices, 44150 Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

ADOT representatives and project consultants first will present the proposed project before taking questions in an “open house” format.

The information presented will be based in part on the results of a feasibility study completed in 2007.

Information stations and displays will be available for viewing and attendees will be invited to submit any comments they have about the project.

The grading separation, which Brent Billingsley, transportation director for the city, described as potentially “a bridge over the railroad” will help to mitigate some of the problems plaguing the busy intersection.

The area, which Billingsley said handles in excess of 30,000 vehicles a day, has a history of accidents and is a major pedestrian crossing for adults and school children.

A grade separation could help make the area safer for everyone, but especially those walking because it raises or lowers one of the avenues of intersecting traffic to allow vehicles an unobstructed roadway.

“It’ll include pedestrian amenities to keep help people cross over the tracks safely,” Billingsley said.

Currently, the intersection is an “at-grade” intersection, meaning both the vehicular and train traffic travel on the same level.

The project could also help eliminate commuter issues caused by Amtrak changing its trains’ scheduled arrival time in Maricopa to 5:30 a.m., which has caused traffic dealys of 15 minutes and more.

“Instead, if they have an overpass there, (drivers) can just drive over the train track,” said Dustin Krugel, ADOT public information officer.

The public scoping meeting is one phase in a long-term project.

Krugel estimated the design concept report and environmental analysis needed – and currently underway – for the project would be complete in the winter of 2013.

Once all the studies are complete, there is still the matter of funding the actual construction.

The costs of the studies are split equally between ADOT and the city.