FHWA 16-04
Contact: Nancy Singer or Brian Keeter
Tel.: 202-366-0660
Friday, October 01, 2004
Nation's Top Highway Official Says Arizona’s East Valley Detour Idea Boon to
Economy, Taxpayers and Commuters
While many freeway projects are marked with seemingly endless traffic delays and
confusing detours, engineers building the new “SuperRedTan” interchange in the
East Valley found a way to reduce driver frustration and save taxpayer dollars.
Today, the nation’s top highway official, Federal Highway Administrator Mary E.
Peters, visited the Loop202/US 60 interchange project in Mesa, AZ, to learn how
planners there used a simplified detour plan to save money and precious commuter
time.
Large overhead ramps that will eventually connect with US 60 were built all at
once while more than 113,000 vehicles per day were moved away from the project,
cutting nearly 300 days off the detour schedule and eliminating unnecessary
headaches for motorists.
“This one-detour approach really is a boost to the local economy because it
saves commuter time and taxpayer money,” Peters said.
Besides time, projects with several detour schemes cost hundreds of thousands of
dollars more in “throw-away” costs, those funds spent to build temporary roads
or rent detour barricades and signs.
“The fewer times we have to move traffic during a project, the more money we
save and the smoother the commute during the job,” Peters said.
When complete, the interchange will connect the Red Mountain and Santan freeways
with US 60, essentially creating a “freeway loop” around the Southeast Valley
for freeway access to the rapidly growing populations in Mesa, Chandler and
Gilbert. Completion is scheduled for 2007.
“This project is more than new ramps and freeway connections,” said Peters.
“It’s a way to drive economic opportunity in the East Valley and all along these
major freeway corridors.”
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