PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today announced plans to accelerate a project to reduce congestion and traffic accidents on a 25-mile stretch of Arizona’s busiest roadways: Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande.

In his 2022 State of the State Address, Governor Ducey said: 

“A few years ago we got together and prioritized expansion of the I-17. Then, thanks to the leadership of Senator T.J. Shope and Governor Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community, we paved the way for a wider I-10, to improve movement and commerce between Tucson and Phoenix. But that project is still scheduled several years out from now, and 94 visits as Governor to Southern Arizona will remind you how important this issue is. So, let’s finish the job. Our budget will invest more dollars to get the I-10 completion leap-frogged to the front of the priority list, ahead of schedule, connecting our entire state, north to south.”

The Governor expressed the need to “finish the job” and invest more dollars to complete the I-10 project that would expand the highway from two lanes to three in both directions between Phoenix and Tucson. This investment will further position the State to receive federal monies to fully fund the aforementioned I-10 expansion between Phoenix and Casa Grande.

This historic investment in the vital transportation and commerce corridor that connects Phoenix and Tucson will:

Last year, the Gila River Bridge replacement was secured and the fiscal year 2022 budget allocated $50 million for I-10 expansion. In combination with the $50 million, the fiscal year 2023 executive budget will propose additional State funding that will address 20 miles of the project and accelerate the I-10 expansion.

“The Governor’s investment into the expansion of I-10 is the leadership that is needed to lock in Arizona’s future as an economic powerhouse and continue to improve the quality of life for all Arizonans,” said John Halikowski, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation.

BACKGROUND

In February 2021, Governor Ducey announced $230 million in new transportation infrastructure investments including closing the funding gap to replace the Gila River Bridge on I-10, widening U.S. Route 93 north of Wickenburg, adding capacity to I-17 north of metro Phoenix and improving more than 600 highway lane-miles across the state.

In 2019, the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix opened, marking the culmination of the largest single freeway project in state history. The project finished three years early and with $100 million in savings through an innovative partnership.

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