Phase one of the Meridian Road project broke ground Tuesday. The project will extend Meridian from Cherrywood to Combs, providing an important north-south connector for Queen Creek and the region.
“Improving transportation continues to be a top priority. Just six months ago we were celebrating the completion of Riggs Road; it is a testament to our commitment to regional transportation that we are here celebrating the first phase of the Meridian Road improvements,” stated Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney at the groundbreaking ceremony. “We continue to work closely with both Pinal and Maricopa counties on important topics like transportation. This celebration and this corridor would not be possible without the important partnership we have with Pinal County.”
Phase one includes an interim two-lane roadway, with a bridge over the Queen Creek Wash. The bridge will be built to its ultimate width of seven lanes to accommodate future road improvements, but striped for two lanes until that time. The interim road is anticipated to be complete in early summer 2020 and will serve as an important bypass during the improvements to Rittenhouse Road. The interim road will also help alleviate congestion on Ironwood Road, serving as an additional north-south connector with access to two of the Town’s Agritainment destinations and San Tan Valley.
“We are grateful for our partnership with the Town of Queen Creek on another road that serves the residents in both San Tan Valley and Queen Creek,” shared Pinal County Supervisor Mike Goodman. “Meridian Road is a much needed north-south alternative for the area, soon to connect to the future SR 24 Extension. This is another prime example that multiple agencies can work together to accomplish the greater good for our communities. “
In addition to splitting the costs of phase one, Pinal County is also splitting the costs of future phases to the corridor. Phase two, constructing the permanent two-lane road from Combs to Cherrywood will begin next summer. It will include curb, sidewalks and bike lanes on the west side of the road. Additional phases include the Ocotillo intersection and Queen Creek Road to the future SR 24.
Logan Simpson completed the environmental permitting, T.Y. Lin completed the design for Meridian Road and Rummel Construction, Inc. is completing the construction.
The Meridian Road extension is just one of the improvements in the Town’s infrastructure improvement plan (IIP). The Town Council approved IIP identifies $195 million in roadway needs, adding 91 new lane miles through 41 projects over the next 10 years. Projects within the IIP are prioritized based on safety, traffic volume and availability of alternate routes.
Investing in Queen Creek creates a stronger community. For more information about the Town’s capital improvement program visit QueenCreek.org/BetterRoadsAhead. To receive weekly traffic alerts, sign up for eNotifications on the Town’s website. To stay updated on news and events follow the Town on Facebook.com/QueenCreek and Twitter.com/TownofQC.
