AZ Gov. Ducey Signs Bill To Widen Last Two-Lane Stretch Of I-10

PHOENIX, AZ —Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 1239, which will allocate $400 million to help widen a 26-mile stretch of Interstate 10 known as the Wild Horse Pass Corridor.

The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge), passed 55-1 in the state House on Monday after previously passing 27-1 in the Senate.

The project will widen the stretch of I-10 between Chandler and Casa Grande from two lanes to three, according to Ducey's office. The segment of highway, which is regularly congested, is the last remaining stretch between Phoenix and Tucson that has only two lanes.

The project also calls for extending the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes in the northern portion of the construction area, replacing the Gila River Bridge and adding and improving interchanges for enhanced mobility, Ducey's office said.

"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. Today, we're delivering on that promise," Ducey said at a signing ceremony. "This legislation ensures that everyone in Arizona can get to their destination safely and quickly, even as our state continues to grow. 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."

Ducey's office said the projected cost of the project actually is just under $1 billion, which will include $700 million in state-dedicated funding.

Doug Nick, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transportation, told YourValley.net. that the agency already has $260 million set aside to begin the project.

Nick said the $400 million allocated in the recent legislation will qualify Arizona to apply for funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which are allocated for highway improvement projects. Those funds could bring as much as $300 million into the project.

According to Ducey's office, the project is expected to start in 2023 with the Gila River Bridge portion of the work. The target date for completion of the project is 2026.

Ducey's office noted that the Wild Horse Corridor links freight traffic from the international ports of southern Arizona and the West Coast to the rest of the nation. Improving that stretch of highway will have benefits in Arizona and beyond, according to supporters of the project.

"Interstate 10 is a critical means of trade among Arizona, our surrounding states and Mexico," said Tony Bradley, president of the Arizona Trucking Association. "A modern, efficient highway system is needed to get goods and products where they need to be on time. This expansion will allow trade and commerce to grow as Arizona's economy grows."