By Tom Howard
Houghton/I-10 Interchange
Work is underway to complete the new temporary Westbound on ramp to I-10. Once this is completed crews will close the old on ramp and continue with the new bridge approach pads. Westbound traffic will have a new entrance ramp to get onto the interstate. Traffic control changes can be expected during this switch-over.
Crews are preparing the bridge deck for the concrete pour, which will create the new road surface on the bridge structure. There may be numerous traffic control changes during this process. Please obey all traffic control signage and speed limits. Lane restrictions are expected nightly on I-10 while crews work over head on the new bridge.
Houghton/Valencia to Mary Ann Cleveland
As of this writing, traffic was being switched to the new Southbound side of Houghton Rd. Crews will be moving concrete barrier and begin grinding up the old asphalt in the coming days. Underground work is expected to begin on the Northbound closed sections of Houghton Rd. There will be numerous traffic changes in this work zone, please pay attention and slow down. Speed limits are 25 MPH. Traffic signal work will continue at Rita Rd. Police will be used to direct traffic during peak operations.
Houghton Rd. Corridor Update
Houghton Road: Valencia Road to Mary Ann Cleveland Way – Construction
Borderland Construction began construction of improvements along this two-mile section of Houghton in fall 2020. Construction has been proceeding on the west side of the roadway, with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction along the east portion of the existing road. Permanent asphalt paving on the west side of the roadway is taking place the week of April 5. Some changes in traffic flow will occur the week of April 12 with median work in progress. With the completion of paving and other median work, traffic flow is expected to be moved to the west side of the road the week of April 19, and construction will begin on the east side. This schedule is approximate and subject to change due to weather or other issues. Please be alert and drive carefully in the project area.
Improvements to this section of Houghton Road include a new six-lane divided desert parkway with new asphalt, dedicated turn lanes, concrete median curb, new bus bays, new roadway signing and striping, new pavement marking, new bicycle lanes on both sides of Houghton Road, new roadway lighting, and a new traffic signal at the Rita Road intersection with pedestrian crossing enhancements. There will also be an asphalt multi-use path, new concrete sidewalks, new all-weather cross-drainage structures, public art, and native plant landscaping with water harvesting features. This project is expected to be completed in early 2022.
Houghton Road: 22nd Street to Irvington Road – Design
Project design to improve Houghton Road from 22nd Street to Irvington Road began in late 2016 and is at 100% design completion. Improvements include a new six-lane divided desert roadway with new asphalt, a new three-lane northbound bridge across the Pantano Wash and widening of the current bridge to allow for three lanes of southbound traffic, dedicated turn lanes, concrete curbs and gutters, new retaining walls, new bus bays, new roadway lighting, a new HAWK crossing signal at Secrist Middle School and traffic signal upgrades for each of the three Houghton Road intersections at Old Spanish Trail, Golf Links Road and Escalante Road. New all-weather cross-drainage structures, new potable water lines, public art and native plant landscaping with water harvesting features will be added, along with an asphalt multi-use path on the east side of the roadway that will connect to the multi-use path along the rest of Houghton Road.
Prior to implementing the roadway widening improvements, utilities will need to be relocated along this segment. Construction of the roadway is anticipated to begin in mid-2023.
For more information on the Houghton Road Corridor improvement projects you can contact Michael Marietti, Engineering Project Manager, City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility, at Michael.Marietti@tucsonaz.gov or visit http://www.houghtonroad.info.
For information about the Interstate 10/Houghton traffic interchange project, visit:
https://azdot.gov/projects/southcentral-district-projects/interstate-10-houghton-road-traffic-interchange.
For information on a planned multi-use path along Mary Ann Cleveland Way, please visit the website at: https://tucsondelivers.tucsonaz.gov/pages/macway.
For information on the widening of Valencia Road from Houghton to Kolb, visit: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/tdot/valencia-road-kolb-road-houghton-road
For information about the Chuck Huckelberry Loop visit: https://webcms.pima.gov/government/the_loop/
Send your questions or comments:
highways@thevailvoice.com
