The final 26 miles of Interstate 10 (I-10) between Phoenix and Tucson will be expanded from a two-lane to a three-lane freeway thanks to an investment of $95 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law led by Senator Kyrsten Sinema and shaped by Senator Mark Kelly.
The highly-anticipated investment will increase efficiency, reduce traffic, and enhance safety – all while creating good-paying jobs and boosting economic opportunities in a crucial transportation corridor that moves tens of millions of people and over $40 billion in goods every year.
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“I’m proud to secure these funds for I-10’s expansion through my bipartisan infrastructure law. I promised Arizonans I’d do the hard work to deliver real results, not lip service – today’s investment is one of many more to come for Arizona from my bipartisan infrastructure law,” said Senator Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law.
“Too many of us have spent hours stuck in traffic on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson. And for decades, residents and tribal members have been impacted by major bottlenecks preventing them from fully accessing jobs, housing, schools, and health care. Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these delays will be a thing of the past. I’ve fought to secure the funding for this expansion since I came to the Senate, and it was a top priority of mine when negotiating that law. This project will reduce congestion, improve shipping, and make I-10 safer,” said Senator Kelly. “This investment—one of the largest ever in transportation infrastructure in a tribal community—will be a game-changer for the Gila River Indian Community and is a testament to the leadership of Governor Lewis.”
“Funding for this grant to improve the 26-mile stretch of the I-10 that runs through the Gila River Indian Community would not have been realized without the tireless effort of Senators Sinema and Kelly. Over the past year, Senators Sinema and Kelly took every opportunity to educate the Administration about the critical need to improve this portion of the State’s infrastructure to increase safety for all Community Members, Arizonans and visitors who travel on this integral part of the State’s infrastructure network. I value the respect and partnership that Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly showed to the Community in achieving this crucial funding,” saidGovernor Stephen Roe Lewis, Gila River Indian Community.
The investment – awarded through the INFRA Grant Program funded by Sinema and Kelly’s infrastructure law – provides funding for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to finish the southernmost segment of the 26-mile stretch and the upcoming expansion of I-10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande. This grant award represents a unique collaboration between ADOT and the Gila River Indian Community which jointly applied for funding authorized under Sinema and Kelly’s law.
The larger I-10 expansion project will add a third lane, meaning the freeway will have three lanes both ways between Arizona’s two most populous cities. This will relieve Arizonans from daily bottlenecks that cause repeated, often deadly accidents as well as difficulties for local communities to access essential services.
The bipartisan infrastructure law provides $110 billion to repair bridges and roads, including unsafe rural roads, and build new major highway projects.
Sinema led bipartisan Senate negotiations with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio that included Senator Kelly and senators from both parties.
The bipartisan infrastructure law was supported by groups including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, The National Association of Manufacturers, The AFL-CIO, The National Retail Federation, The Bipartisan Policy Center, North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Outdoor Industry Association, The American Hotel and Lodging Association, The National Education Association, as well as hundreds of mayors across all 50 states.
