Three road construction projects are expected to begin in late January or early February in Apache Junction, including infrastructure improvements in the Grand View neighborhood.
They are Grand …
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Three road construction projects are expected to begin in late January or early February in Apache Junction, including infrastructure improvements in the Grand View neighborhood.
They are Grand Drive from Broadway to Apache Trail and Main Drive from First Avenue to Broadway --- both in Grand View; and Winchester Road from 16th to Southern, Al Bravo, public information officer for the City of Apache Junction, said.
A contract with DBA Construction for $536,791.50, including 5% for contingencies, for the Grand and Main drive projects was recently approved by the City Council. The Arizona Department of Housing is paying $371,422 and the City of Apache Junction funding $170,915.
The money is from general funds from the city, Highway User Revenue Funds, Community Development Block Grants and State Special Project funding, Raquel Schatz, project engineer, said.
The Grand Drive project includes installation of sidewalk, and curb and gutter on the west side of the street. The Main Drive project calls for installation of curb and gutter on the east side of the street.
The Grand View neighborhood work is slated to begin in January and be completed May 4, Ms. Schatz said.
“Future phases, we’re looking at quite possibly using the same types of funding to do --- on Broadway Avenue --- storm drains. We can connect to what we already out in there --- the dual 54-inch storm drain we did back in 2014,” she said.
“This will extend it out further east so that we can later on put storm drains in both Ocotillo and also in Grand Drive because we do know those are very big drainage-related issues that we have in the city,” Ms. Schatz said.
Next could be sidewalk, curb and gutter on Ocotillo Road and Saguaro Drive, she said.
“A lot of stuff going on in this area. We’re just limited to our fundings, which is why you see it done in many phases,” Ms. Schatz said. “Big projects, lots of concrete, little funding.”
The improvements are much-needed, Councilmember Christa Rizzi said.
“Those are really great improvements for that area. It used to be such a mess when it rained. It’s looking great,” she said. “I bet those neighbors in that area are just loving it.”
Construction projects
Other construction projects planned in 2020, according to the City of Apache Junction, are:
Winchester Road, 16th to Southern --- widening, bike lanes, curb, sidewalk and storm sewer.
Southern Avenue, Delaware to Ironwood --- widening, bike lanes, curb, sidewalk and storm sewer.
Pavement preservation
The following pavement preservation is scheduled for fiscal year 2020, according to the city’s public works department:
Slurry seal in the Apache Villa and Ironwood Cove subdivisions; and on various local streets including, but not limited to, Gregory Street from Meridian Drive to Pinal Drive; Plaza Drive from Superstition Boulevard to south dead end; and Boise Street from Meridian Drive to west dead end. Slurry seal is a preventive or corrective maintenance surface treatment composed of a mixture of aggregate, emulsified asphalt, mineral filler, additives and water. The slurry seal improves road surface texture and seals and protects the pavement, according to pinalcountyaz.gov.
Pavement reconstruction and bike lane additions on Ironwood Drive, Lost Dutchman Boulevard to McKellips Road.
Pavement reconstruction in the Pueblo Del Sol subdivision.
Pavement reconstruction (phase 1) of various streets in the Haven Hallow subdivision.
Crack seal of various streets. To limit deterioration, cracks are filled with a rubberized sealant called crack seal that keeps out water and fills voids in the surface.
Chip seal on various rural roads including, but not limited to: San Marcos Drive from Lost Dutchman Boulevard to Superstition Boulevard; Tomahawk Road from Lost Dutchman Boulevard to Superstition Boulevard; and Tepee from Tomahawk Road to Goldfield Road. Chip seal is a preventive maintenance surface treatment entailing a single application of asphalt emulsion by a distributor followed by a cover aggregate applied by a chip spreader. The surface is then rolled to seat the aggregate.
Arizona DOT
The Arizona Department of Transportation is to begin 20 to 24 months of construction in fall 2020 on the State Route 24 interim Phase II, Ellsworth Road to Ironwood Drive. It follows the completion of Phase I in 2014, which opened the segment of freeway between Loop 202 Santan Freeway and Ellsworth Road, according to a list of central district projects at azdot.gov.
Features of the new roadway are to include:
Two paved lanes in each direction separated by a graded median.
At-grade intersections at the following locations: Williams Field Road, Signal Butte Road, Meridian Road and Ironwood Drive
Bridges over Ellsworth and Mountain roads
A drainage channel along the north side of the freeway.
Signage, traffic signals, lighting and pavement marking, as necessary.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia, Inc.. USA, since 1987.
Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
He also is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows
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