ARIZONA STATE EDITION
A Supplement to:
®
March 5 2017 Vol. I • No. 5
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Arizona Connection – Dennis Hogeboom – 1-877-7CEGLTD – dennishogeboom@cegltd.com
Phase II Begins on $1.77B South Mountain Freeway By Chuck Harvey CEG CORRESPONDENT
Second phase construction is under way on an ambitious $1.77 billion project to construct a 22-mi. (35 km) freeway loop to connect the east and west valleys in the greater Phoenix area. The Loop 202 South Mountain Arizona Department of Transportation photo Freeway is Arizona’s largest single highSecond phase construction is way project ever. The $1.77 billion under way on an ambitious $1.77 billion project to conamount provides for fiscal years 2016 to struct a 22-mi. (35 km) free2020 including design, right-of-way, way loop to connect the east construction and utility and administraand west valleys in the tion costs. greater Phoenix area. The project is being paid for through state, federal and voter-approved transportation funds. It is expected to significantly improve mobility in the area. “The 22-mi.-long freeway, which was twice approved by voters in Maricopa County, will provide a direct link for commuters traveling between the east valley and west valley and a much-needed alternative to taking Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix,” said Dustin Krugel, public information officer at Arizona Department of Transportation. “The South Mountain Freeway is also the last piece to complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system necessary for high-quality regional mobility.” The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway also is expected to provide an economic boost to the area. “Time is money and the South Mountain Freeway is designed to save both for a fast-growing region,” Krugel said. “When it opens by the end of 2019, this long-planned link between the east valley and west valley is projected to deliver an immediate savings of 15 million hours of travel time worth $200 million over the course of the year.” East, West Valleys Cover Much Territory The greater Phoenix area’s east valley is generally defined as those cities and towns in Maricopa County that are south and east of Phoenix and Scottsdale. The west valley includes all the cities and towns that are west of Phoenix. The first phase of construction on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway began on Sept. 19, 2016, with improvements at the Interstate 10 and Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) interchange in the east valley. The second phase of the project will carry through late 2019. The new freeway loop will provide much needed traffic relief to existing freeway corridors and local streets. It will run east and west along Pecos Road and then north and south between 55th and 63rd avenues, connecting with Interstate 10 on each end. As for phase 1, workers continue to widen the shoulders and extend the existing Loop 202 interchange. see SMF page 8
Intel Invests $7B in Chandler Next-Gen Semiconductor Factory
The completion of Fab 42 in three to four years will directly create approximately 3,000 hightech, high-wage Intel jobs for process engineers, equipment technicians and facilities-support engineers and technicians who will work at the site. See story on page 9.