August 2017
Relentlessly local coverage of Gilbert and our neighboring communities
Reporting for study
Sabina Vess, 5, gets dropped off by her dad, Joseph, for her first day of school at Bridges Elementary.
Construction nightmare at Cooper Plans going forward with new fire station in southeast Gilbert and Guadalupe to end soon BY JIM WALSH
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MELODY BIRKETT
Nearly a year has passed since construction crews first took bulldozers and other heavy equipment to the intersection of Cooper and Guadalupe roads in Gilbert. Ever since, traffic has been restricted to a lane in each direction. But there is some good news: Town officials believe the project will be completed by September rather than October. “So we will be ahead of schedule,” said Toby Crooks, senior project manager for the town.
The project is making improvements to the intersection, such as widening it to provide three travel lanes and a bike lane in each direction, adding raised median islands to provide safer turning movements, as well as curb, gutter and sidewalk. Drainage improvements for storm drain capacity is being reconfigured throughout the intersection, and improvements at the Union Pacific Rail Road tracks will provide for more efficient and safer travel during see
CONSTRUCTION page 6
Gilbert’s police and fire departments are getting some much-needed help from the town’s budget this year, which includes funds to build a $6.5 million new fire station in southeast Gilbert and to hire more police officers and firefighters. The expansion is part of Gilbert’s efforts to keep up with growth. Public officials are thankful for the additional assistance, but they also warn that more resources will be required in future years to deal with growth and to maintain a high level of service.
The new Station 9 will be located at Ocotillo and Higley roads. The Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department also received six new firefighter positions. “Our goal is always to get people on-scene in four minutes, a fire service standard,” said Cory Gerard, a Gilbert Fire and Rescue spokesman. “It’s an area where we had a gap. It’s to keep up our level of service and match the level of growth in the town,” Gerard also said.
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FIRE STATION page 5
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