Five years ago, Athena moved to Arizona and has not looked back at the Midwest since! (Sorry to her fellow Illinoisans). She joined KGUN 9 in July of 2024 as a multimedia journalist.
With Tucson continuing to grow, it can feel like construction is everywhere. City officials say there’s a reason for that. They say the goal is to keep up with that growth while also making roads safer by working on multiple projects at the same time and using technology to help keep traffic moving.
Projects like the 22nd Street Bridge closure involve coordination between several groups, including the county, the Regional Transportation Authority and utility companies. That project is also a joint venture, meaning multiple construction companies are working together while crews continue work nearby along Park Avenue. Lindsey Salcido, a public information specialist with the Department of Transportation, says tackling several projects at once is intentional.
“What if Grant Road was the only project we were doing right now, right? It's not scheduled to be done until the end of October, and then we start another one and then that one takes two years, but like what about all the other roads,' Salcido questions, 'then who do you decide who gets to go first? ”Grant Road is expected to be completed by the end of October.
Salcido explains construction schedules can also shift during the summer months because of the heat.
“The summer months, the crews are starting really early, so you know if you're driving home at 4 or 5 in the afternoon, you might not see them because they've probably gone home for the day, you know, for the safety of their crews not to be in the heat for so long,” Salcido explains. Many of Tucson’s major road projects, including Grant Road, 22nd Street and Downtown Links, were approved by voters, meaning funding for the work was already signed off on.
In the meantime, the city says it is also using technology to help ease traffic in construction zones. Adaptive signal technology allows traffic lights to respond in real time based on how many cars are on the road.
“So if traffic is getting really backed up, it will allow that green light to stay green longer to allow more traffic to go through. So we have it currently up all around the 22nd Street Bridge area which has provided a lot of relief to that area,” Salcido says. City officials say the technology is already helping in areas like the 22nd Street Bridge and could expand to other major projects across Tucson.
For concerns or questions about construction, residents can report issues through 311. While construction may be hard to avoid right now, the city says the goal is to make driving easier and safer in the long run.
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