MAG Regional Council to Vote on Superstition Widening

PHOENIX (March 22, 2000) — The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Regional Council will vote tonight on a five-year transportation plan which includes more than 1200 projects totaling $4.54 billion. The FY 2001-2005 MAG Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) includes more than a billion dollars in transit improvements and contains numerous projects that are part of an accelerated plan to complete the regional freeway system by 2007, seven years earlier than originally planned.

The MAG Regional Council will vote on the five-year TIP and 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan at a meeting to begin at 5:00 p.m. at the MAG offices, 302 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 200, Phoenix.

Among the projects included in the TIP is the construction of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes along the Superstition Freeway (US 60) in Mesa and Tempe. The program calls for the construction of one HOV lane in each direction from Interstate 10 on the west to Val Vista road on the east.

As part of its vote, the Regional Council will also determine whether to approve funding in the TIP for the realignment of retaining walls along the segments being widened. The City of Tempe objects to a proposal by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to move the walls out as far as they can go, leaving enough room for additional widening or transit improvements in the future. The City of Tempe — which hopes to discourage any further widening — wants the walls moved only far enough to accommodate the construction of the HOV lanes. ADOT maintains that moving the walls to a location which would allow additional widening could be less costly to taxpayers in the long run, saving the expense of having to relocate the walls a second time should the freeway later be expanded. (Note: The MAG Long Range Transportation Plan does not call for any additional widening through Tempe.)

MAG Executive Director James M. Bourey said some of the discussion will focus on whether construction of retaining walls is a design or planning issue.

"Planning functions are conducted by MAG, while design issues are generally handled by ADOT," said Bourey. "The council will have to determine if location of the retaining walls is
an issue for MAG to be involved with."

The MAG Regional Council will also consider a plan to accelerate construction of two general purpose lanes from Price to Val Vista roads in Mesa. The acceleration would be made possible through a loan for which the City of Mesa would pay interest.

Other significant projects in the TIP include:

• Additional HOV improvements, including the construction of HOV ramps on the interchanges connecting the Superstition to Interstate 10 as well as the Squaw Peak (SR 51) to I-10, and the addition of HOV lanes on the Squaw Peak from Loop 202 to Shea
• Grade separations of eight traffic interchanges along Grand Avenue
• Improvements on portions of State Route 85 from Buckeye to Gila Bend
• Paving of dirt roads throughout the region
• Construction of bike lanes and pedestrian facilities
• Improvements to bus stops and other transit programs
• Rideshare and Telework programs
• Intelligent Transportation System projects, including Freeway Service Patrols
• "Work Links," a brokerage system to help welfare recipients access transportation to jobs, training and child care
• Air quality improvement projects

If the TIP and Long Range Transportation Plan are approved, they then undergo a "conformity analysis" to determine if the recommended projects meet air quality standards. Once conformity is established, the Regional Council votes a final time on the plans and construction begins.

For more information about the meeting or to arrange coverage, please contact Kelly Taft at (602) 452-5020.