In May 2012 construction activities started for the Sahuarita Road Phase II project, specifically Project Segments 2A and 2B (see project maps for segment descriptions). Major ongoing construction includes earthwork and paving activities for the widened Sahuarita Road and its new intersection with the Realigned Nogales Highway, as well as a new eastbound Sahuarita Road bridge crossing the Santa Cruz River.
Along the Segment 2A project – Sahuarita Road – drivers will notice the new embankment, concrete vertical curb, a rock lined drainage channel, and initial asphalt pavement that has been placed along side of the existing Sahuarita Road. These new roadway improvements represent a widened (4-lane) Sahuarita Road. The contractor has completed the installation of the new eastbound bridge at the Santa Cruz River. Over the next several weeks the contractor will focus their work on constructing the bridge barrier walls and fencing. Below the new bridge, portions of the new soil cement bank protection has been installed to shield the new bridge approaches from the flows of the Santa Cruz River.
All Sahuarita Road traffic, between La Villita Road and the realigned Nogales Highway, has been shifted to the new eastbound lanes (and new bridge at the Santa Cruz River). This traffic shift is allowing the construction of the future westbound lanes and the westbound bridge across the Santa Cruz River (see map). Speed limits will be reduced in the vicinity of traffic shift for the safety of the workers and traveling public.
The Segment 2B project – Nogales Highway Realignment – is also taking shape as concrete vertical curb and initial asphalt pavement have been installed along the new Nogales Highway alignment and its new intersection with the widened Sahuarita Road. The initial paving along the new Nogales Highway alignment is approximately two-miles in length, roughly one-mile on each side of Sahuarita Road.
Minor traffic shifts on Nogales Highway – north and south of Sahuarita Road – remain in place. The northbound and southbound traffic has been moved to the westernmost edge of the exiting Nogales Highway so the contractor can finish construction of the tie-in between the new realignment and the existing roadway (see maps). Speed limits will be reduced in the vicinity of traffic shift for the safety of the workers and traveling public.
As part of the ongoing construction efforts, drivers should be aware of all traffic control devices/signage and all speed limit reductions, as large equipment may be working near the shoulders of the existing roadways.
A summary of the anticipated short-term (2-3 week) construction activities can be seen in the attached graphics.
