With Magma Road now open in the San Tan Valley, an important new route between Hunt Highway and Gary Road has been created.

The project cost was approximately $6 million. A half-cent sales tax in Pinal County helped fund the project.

During ceremonies for the road opening, Assistant Pinal County Engineer Celeste Garza gave details about the project, how the much-needed road will benefit the area and how teamwork got the road completed in six months.

"Just six months ago there was a pile of dirt where we are standing today," Garza stated in a press release. "This was made possible due to supportive leadership, great relationships with design consultants and contractors and a public works team who take pride in providing quality projects to citizens on time and within budget.”

The project is a two-lane, 1-mile connection. Underneath the road is 580 linear feet of a pre-cast, arch-shaped culvert that is 60 feet wide. It will take stormwater runoff from the west to the east into a basin on the other end of a roundabout.

"We will do our best to ensure the citizens this will not turn into a racetrack," stated Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. "We cannot just have one ingress/egress access in this community, this is much needed as we continue to grow in this area."

The new section of Magma Road is expected to improve response time for emergency services and decrease commute times for residents of San Tan Valley.

"I remember the start of all this. I received a call from the superintendent from Florence Schools with concerns about emergency response and being able to bus kids in the area. We took a drive and we realized something needs to be done," stated District 2 Supervisor Mike Goodman.

The project’s civil design was originally completed by Tylin International in late 2020, and in March 2021 Sunland Asphalt began construction.