Study to explore widening Interstate 10 south of Phoenix

The Gila River Indian Community has agreed to work with state and regional transportation planners on a study that could lead to widening Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande.

The Maricopa Association of Governments, the Valley’s regional planning authority, will lead the study working with the tribal community and Arizona Department of Transportation, MAG said in a statement on Wednesday.

The study, which is expected to take 18 months to complete, will examine the major improvements or structural replacements needed along the 23-mile stretch of the interstate that spans reservation land, including a new bridge over the Gila River and new interchanges at Casa Blanca Road.

ADOT, in a separate statement, said the study also could lead to the agency’s goal of widening the freeway to three lanes in each direction along the stretch. Currently, that portion of I-10 is two lanes in each direction.

ADOT has been working in segments farther south in recent years to widen major stretches of the highway to at least three lanes in each direction between Casa Grande and Tucson. The agency ultimately wants that to extend from Casa Grande to the Phoenix area.

“Creating a master plan for I-10 between the Phoenix area and Casa Grande will be a major step toward ADOT’s goal of providing three travel lanes in each direction from the Valley to Tucson,” John Halikowski, ADOT director, said in a statement commending the three-way study partnership.