Feds Approval Clears Way For State Route 189 Improvements

The Federal Highway Administration has cleared the way for the Arizona Department of Transportation to begin design and construction of improvements to State Route 189, the 3.75-mile roadway connecting the Mariposa Port of Entry with Interstate 19 in Nogales.

The federal agency has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact based upon ADOT’s environmental studies for the project, which includes a flyover ramp connecting northbound SR 189 with northbound I-19.

Work is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2019.

The plans approved by the Finding of No Significant Impact incorporate agency and public comments received during a public meeting in January and throughout the comment period. They include intersection improvements between Target Range Road and Grand Avenue and a wider roadway in addition to the northbound flyover ramp.

A $25 million appropriation passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Governor Doug Ducey aimed at accelerating the project has made it possible for work to start two years earlier than originally planned. In addition, $40 million in federal funds will go toward SR 189 improvements.

ADOT continues working with the community on ways to fund additional improvements, including a flyover ramp connecting southbound I-19 with SR 189. Funding isn’t currently available for those improvements, estimated to cost up to $75 million.

ADOT recently applied for a $25 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant as a way to move forward with additional improvements.

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.

The final environmental assessment can be found on the project website: azdot.gov/sr189.

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