Arizona DOT schedules public meeting for proposed grade separation

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in cooperation with the city of Maricopa, Union Pacific Railroad and Federal Highway Administration, plans to hold a public meeting June 6 in Maricopa to review a proposed grade separation project at State Route 347 and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

State officials will provide an overview of the considered alternatives, review the evaluation criteria and present the alternatives recommended for further study. A study was initiated in 2012 to evaluate alternatives and identify improvements that would improve access, capacity and traffic operations in the area through 2040.

Among the alternatives to be considered is a grade separation to replace the existing intersection of State Route 347 and a UP double-track mainline that runs through the city.

State Route 347 is Maricopa's main transportation corridor and serves as a regional connector to major employment and recreation areas. Traffic at the intersection averages more than 34,000 vehicles per day and 2030 projections show traffic could reach 69,000 vehicles per day, ADOT officials said in a project summary.

State Route 347 crosses UP's line, which averages 40 to 60 trains per day. The Class I plans to expand service, which would increase train traffic to about 100 trains per day, ADOT officials said. In addition, an Amtrak station is located just west of the intersection and vehicular traffic is routinely delayed by passenger-rail operations, they said.