The speed limit on Ellsworth Road from Elliot Road to the south Mesa limits along the Queen Creek border will be reduced.
That stretch of road is currently posted at 50 miles per hour. Under the new ordinance the limit will go down to 45 mph.
The Mesa City Council passed the increase in speed 5-0 at its Monday meeting. Mayor Mark Freeman and Councilmember Jenn Duff were absent. Council members did not comment on the change.
“Recent development along this 5-mile stretch of Ellsworth Road has significantly altered corridor characteristics, traffic patterns and roadside activity levels,” according to a town staff report.
The road is flanked by mixed-use commercial, industrial and data center facilities, as well as the Arizona Athletic Grounds and the Eastmark and Cadence communities, the report continued.
“These land uses contribute to higher, sustained traffic volumes, increased turning movement, and greater destinations along the corridor,” the report continued. “The corridor also includes the Ellsworth Road and State Route 24 interchange, which introduces high-turning movement demand and access to the region’s state highway system.”
An active capital improvement project is also underway to widen Ellsworth Road to a continuous six-lane arterial cross section between Germann and Ray roads that “will further urbanize the corridor and create roadway conditions more consistent with other 45-mph arterials in the city of Mesa,” the report stated.
The city’s Transportation Advisory Board recommended the speed reduction in January.
The installation of speed limit signs between Ray Road and the south city limits is included in the Ellsworth Road Widening project.
For the remainder of the corridor from Ray to Elliot, the cost to replace 16 speed limit signs is estimated at less than $1,000.
Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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