Governor Katie Hobbs announced that Arizona will receive a $95 million INFRA grant from the US Department of Transportation for major improvements to widen Interstate 10. The grant was awarded to improve the safety and conditions on the 26-mile stretch of the I-10 located entirely within the boundaries of the Gila River Indian Community. The I-10 corridor is a main corridor for all Arizonans, with parts of this project area seeing up to 120,000 vehicles daily. This 26-mile stretch of the I-10 is the only remaining “gap, or unimproved section of the I-10, which creates bottlenecks and traffic delays for all who travel this section of the I-10. Obtaining funding for this project was a top priority for Governor Katie Hobbs, the Gila River Indian Community, the Arizona Congressional delegation, and the Arizona State Legislature, and was made possible through coordination between Governor Hobbs, GRIC Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, and the Arizona Department of Transportation.
This grant represents a unique partnership of governments, involving State, federal, tribal, and county governments in the planning and development of the grant to address the safety and infrastructure needs in Arizona and within the Gila River Indian Community.
“The I-10 serves as a major connector for the entire state, and I am thrilled to announce that we have secured the funds necessary to ensure it remains a gateway for generations to come,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “By securing this investment, we are not only improving our state’s infrastructure, we are propelling Arizona’s economy forward, ensuring a prosperous future for all. I want to thank Governor Lewis for his tireless advocacy and our federal partners for helping make this possible.”
“The announcement today,” said Governor Lewis, “is the culmination of a year-long effort to obtain the final funding necessary to complete this critical part of the State’s, and the Community’s, transportation network. When we learned last year that Arizona would not be receiving a federal grant for this project, I immediately contacted Governor Hobbs, and together we rolled up our sleeves and got this new grant proposal together, focusing largely on the importance of this road to our Community, and we presented it together to Secretary Buttigieg, a first in our State, and probably in the entire country.”
The grant funding will be added to the $692 million in state of Arizona funding appropriated for the project and a $221 million contribution from the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) through Proposition 400. The total project cost is estimated at just over $1 billion.
“Too many of us have spent hours stuck in traffic on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson. And for decades, residents and tribal members have been impacted by major bottlenecks preventingthem from fully accessing jobs, housing, schools, and health care. Thanks to our BipartisanInfrastructure Law, these delays will be a thing of the past. I’ve fought to secure the funding forthis expansion since I came to the Senate, and it was a top priority of mine when negotiatingthat law. This project will reduce congestion, improve shipping, and make I-10 safer,” said Senator Mark Kelly. “This investment—one of the largest ever in transportation infrastructure ina tribal community—will be a game-changer for the Gila River Indian Community and is atestament to the leadership of Governor Lewis.”
“ADOT is excited to receive this funding and to work on this critical project,” said ADOT Director Jennifer Toth. “The federal grant dollars are critical for expanding the principal roadway between Phoenix and Tucson. The project will deliver the best infrastructure to improve drive times and enhance safety. We thank the Gila River Indian Community for their tremendous partnership and collaboration, along with our federal, regional, and local partners.”
The grant – funded through investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law – provides necessary funding for the southernmost segment of the 26-mile stretch and completes funding for the upcoming expansion of I-10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande.
The overall project adds a third lane, meaning the freeway will have three lanes both ways between Arizona’s two most populous cities. It also includes the reconstruction of the I-10 Bridges over the Gila River and six interchanges. The federal grant is a competitive funding award through the U.S. Department of Transportation INFRA Grant Program.
The grant will contribute to the construction of the section of the project from just south of Casa Blanca Road to just south of State Route 387. Construction on I-10 is scheduled to launch in early 2024, with the first work including the removal and replacement of the Gila River bridges over I-10.
Significant partnerships with the Gila River Indian Community and other nearby communitieshave taken place over the past few years. An engineering and environmental study for theproject is currently being completed in coordination with GRIC and MAG and includes the following proposed improvements:
Corridor Improvements – Capacity and Safety:
- Adding a new general-purpose lane in the east- and westbound directions, extending theHigh Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane on I-10 from Loop 202 to Riggs Road, andimproving interchanges and crossroads will increase capacity and access. This improvessafety by reducing congestion and travel times and lessening detoured traffic on the GilaRiver Indian Community.
- Replacing I-10 bridges over the Gila River will maintain a state of good repair bymodernizing this key infrastructure.
- Building new and improved traffic interchanges creates safer crossings for farmequipment, bicyclists, and pedestrians and boosts connections and quality of life.
- Installing fiber optic infrastructure within ADOT Right-of-Way will allow for the installation of sensors, cameras, and other highway safety-related technology.
Key Commerce Corridor, Arizona Jobs, and Local Connections:
- As the principal roadway between metro Phoenix and Tucson for commuters,cross-country travelers, and commercial traffic, I-10 is a Key Commerce Corridor forArizona and the U.S. The freeway provides a vital link for freight traffic from the ports ofsouthern California and for international commerce, with a significant amount of freighttransported along the route daily. The proposed improvements will boost the reliability offreight traffic in the corridor.
- The project, coupled with others around the state, will help attract employers and createjobs in Arizona.
- Locally, the route serves the Gila River Indian Community by improving connections toemployment, medical, educational, and other critical services both within and outside of the Community.
Funding:
- The total estimated project cost is approximately $1 billion.
- $692 million allocated in the state budget
- $221 million in MAG funding
- $95 million in DOT INFRA grant funding
Timeline:
- Following completion of the required environmental review and clearance, work isexpected to start in 2024, beginning with expanding the bridges that carry traffic over theGila River.
- The target completion date for the full project has not been determined. For more information on the I-10 Wild Horse Pass study: i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com.
ADOT works in partnership with MAG on the planning and construction of new freeways,additional lanes, and other improvements in the Phoenix area as part of the Regional Transportation Plan.
