Grand Canyon Times

Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ) in May revealed a $400 million investment by the state to expand and widen Interstate 10.

The investment was laid out in Senate Bill 1239. This follows a promise Ducey made during the State of the State address.

“In the State of the State, we promised that we would invest more dollars to get the I-10 completion leap-frogged to the front of the priority list,” Ducey said, according to a news release on his website. “Today, we’re delivering on that promise.”

At a signing ceremony, Ducey stressed the need to relieve traffic problems before they become a bigger issue for commuters, as they are in other cities.

“This legislation ensures that everyone in Arizona can get to their destination safely and quickly, even as our state continues to grow,” he said. “We’re not going to have the endless traffic jams you see in cities like Los Angeles, where men and women are stuck in their cars for hours every day.” 

The Wild Horse Pass Corridor between Chandler and Casa Grande is the last two-lane stretch of highway between Phoenix and Tucson that needs to be extended, the news release noted. The investment will widen the highway from two lanes to three.

“I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson is a major artery for our state’s residents and commerce,” Sen. T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge), who sponsored the bill, said. “Many Casa Grande and Coolidge residents use I-10 to commute to Phoenix for work. This expansion alleviates the pressure on our commuters and our businesses. I was elated when Gov. Ducey committed in January to prioritizing this project and I’m glad he’ll deliver on that promise.”

Local officials were relieved to see that the project was moved to the top of the state’s priority list as more residents and businesses continue to flow into Arizona.

“Any commuter who travels on this part of I-10 will tell you it’s crowded and frustrating,” Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland said. “Think about the bottleneck that creates for commerce. Now, by expanding the highway, we’re opening new opportunities for enhanced trade and economic growth in Casa Grande.”

The Wild Horse Pass Corridor helps facilitate freight traffic between southern Arizona and the West Coast, as well as other parts of the country. 

“I-10 is a critical means of trade among Arizona, our surrounding states, and Mexico,” Tony Bradley, president of the Arizona Trucking Association, said. “A modern, efficient highway system is needed to get goods and products where they need to be on time.”

The interstate improvements are the latest in a series of infrastructure projects Ducey promised, going back to February 2021.

“The expansion of I-10 will open more opportunities for our residents and further economic growth,” Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said. “Supply chains will be more efficient, residents will have an easier commute, and public safety will be increased.”

The total cost of the project is expected to be nearly $1 billion, the news release said. The up-front investment will possibly allow Arizona to receive federal funding to help pay for finishing it. The state is expected to invest nearly $700 million.

“With the passage and signing of SB 1239, Arizona has shown its commitment to providing the safest, most reliable transportation system in the nation,” Stephen Roe Lewis, Gila River Indian Community governor, said. “The I-10 is an important economic corridor and with its widening will expand investment and generate additional economic activities within my tribal community, the state, and the region.”

The project is slated to start in 2023, with completion expected by 2026, according to the news release.