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NOGALES – The next stage of a project to improve State Route
189, the 3.75-mile highway connecting the Mariposa Port of Entry with
Interstate 19, begins with a public hearing Tuesday, Jan. 31, for the community
to review and comment on a Draft Environmental Assessment.
Public input is essential to this assessment, which is part
of the review process required by the federal government and details the need
for the project, alternatives proposed including a no-build option,
environmental impacts and recommendations.
The public
hearing will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the cafeteria
of Nogales High School, 1905 N. Apache Blvd. A presentation at 5:45 p.m. will
be followed by a formal comment period for all members of the public.
The investments proposed for SR 189, including a flyover
ramp to northbound I-19, are intended to significantly improve the highway for
Nogales residents, commercial vehicles and personal travelers, enhance safety
and reduce congestion for many years to come.
The Nogales Mariposa commercial port, which is among the
nation’s busiest, is a hub for trade between Arizona and Mexico that has an
estimated value of $30 billion annually.
Other work proposed includes adding a raised median along SR
189 and improving intersections with Grand Avenue and Target Range Road.
A $25 million appropriation passed by the Arizona
Legislature and signed by Governor Doug Ducey aimed at accelerating this
project has made it possible for work to start in 2019, two years earlier than
originally planned. In addition, $40 million in federal funds will go toward SR
189 improvements.
ADOT Director John Halikowski said investing in SR 189 is
important to trade and tourism not only for the region but for the entire
state.
“ADOT has worked closely with the community to serve the
best interests of both international commerce and the people who live and work
in Nogales,” Halikowski said. “Now we look to the community to review the
alternatives and tell us what they think.”
The Draft Environmental
Assessment is available on ADOT’s website at azdot.gov/SR189DraftEA. Printed copies are available at Nogales City Hall,
777 N. Grand Ave., and the Nogales/Santa Cruz County Public Library, 518 N.
Grand Ave.
Comments, which will be
accepted until Feb. 14, can be provided at the hearing, through the ADOT website
(azdot.gov/SR189DraftEA) or by mail to 1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F,
Phoenix, AZ 85007.
While
moving toward the start of this project, ADOT continues to seek funding for
additional improvements to SR 189, including a new ramp for traffic on
southbound I-19 to enter southbound SR 189. Funding for those improvements,
estimated to cost up to $75 million, isn’t currently available.
One possibility is a public-private partnership similar to the one being used
to build the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix. Under that approach,
ADOT would have additional options for building the remaining improvements,
including bundling both phases into a single job and adding a long-term
maintenance program to better manage ongoing costs.
“We look
forward to working with key leaders in the community, representing both the
public and private sector, to find a solution that meets the needs of the
community, and positions Nogales and Arizona for continued growth and development,”
Halikowski said.
The proposed SR 189 investments build on many improvements
to transportation infrastructure and processes connected with the Mariposa Port
of Entry. In 2014, ADOT completed $1.5 million in improvements to the SR 189
corridor that included synchronized signal timing and improvements at the SR
189 interchange with I-19. In 2012, ADOT received a Best Use of Innovation
Award from America’s Transportation Awards for a project using technology to
speed up processing of trucks crossing the border.
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