Yesterday, Gov. Doug Ducey (R-Arizona) was joined by state and local officials along with project stakeholders at a celebration to mark the opening of the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway project in Phoenix.
The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway is scheduled to open to traffic by the end of the year, marking the culmination of the largest single freeway project in the state's history.
“Arizona has solidified its reputation as a state that is open for opportunity, and as we welcome hundreds of new residents every day, we are making sure our infrastructure remains some of the best in America,” Gov. Ducey said in a statement. “This Loop 202 opening represents a big step forward in connecting the East and West Valleys, as well as prioritizing safety for drivers. My thanks to the local, state, tribal, federal and private partners who helped bring this project to fruition ahead of schedule with major cost savings.”
The South Mountain Freeway is the first freeway in Arizona built using a public-private partnership (P3) that combines the design, construction, and maintenance into a single contract. The unique approach allowed the freeway to open three years earlier than if it had been built using traditional bidding, with a cost savings of more than $100 million.
The freeway will connect I-10 from the Loop 202 Santan Freeway in the East Valley to I-10 at 59th Avenue in the West Valley, providing a direct route for drivers to avoid travel through downtown Phoenix. It is projected to carry about 117,000 vehicles per day in its first year.
For the celebration at the new bridges over the Salt River, Governor Ducey was joined by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego; Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community; Arizona DOT Director John Halikowski; Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, chairman of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council; Karla Petty, Arizona division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration; and Michael Bidwill, president of the Arizona Cardinals, as well as legislators, local officials, transportation stakeholders, and more.
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SOURCE: Office of Gov. Doug Ducey
