TUCSON – Nearly halfway through a three-year environmental study, state and federal transportation officials want your input on a proposed Sonoran Corridor connecting Interstate 10 and Interstate 19 south of Tucson International Airport.
The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will hold a public information meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 26, to hear public comments and suggestions for the Sonoran Corridor. The meeting will be held at the Desert Diamond Casino, 7350 S. Nogales Highway in Tucson. A presentation will begin at 6 p.m.
The Sonoran Corridor has been designated as a high-priority corridor under the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. It would support and connect the economy of southern Arizona and the entire state. It also would reduce travel distances south of Tucson and relieve congestion at the current interchange of I-10 and I-19 southwest of downtown Tucson.State and federal officials are identifying and studying a range of possible corridors along with the opportunities and constraints of each. The study considers the potential social, economic and natural environment impacts of the alternatives, as well as the impact of not building a freeway in this area.
The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Study is a three-year process developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Expected to be completed in 2020, the Tier 1 study is evaluating multiple 2,000-foot-wide corridor alternatives that would connect I-19 and I-10 south of the Tucson International Airport. The study will evaluate a no-build alternative and multiple build alternatives to determine a recommendation that is based on technical analysis and other factors, including public input.
A future Tier 2 environmental study would advance the Tier 1 recommendations to identify the specific project alignment, effects and mitigation. There is no timeline or funding identified for the Tier 2 study.
For more information about this study, please visit azdot.gov/SonoranCorridor.
The meetings are part of the public involvement process that allows the community the opportunity to ask questions and offer comments and concerns about potential locations for the proposed corridor as well as environmental considerations, impacts on wildlife habitat and cultural resources, and other modes of transportation that may be considered.
Public comment also is welcome through October 26 in several ways:
* Email: Sonorancorridor@azdot.gov
* Toll-free bilingual information line: 855.712.8530
* Mail: Sonoran Corridor Tier 1 EIS Study Team,m c/o Joanna Bradley, 1221 S. Second Ave., Mail Drop T100, Tucson, AZ 85713
The September 26 meeting is a follow-up to public meetings held in Tucson and Sahuarita in June 2017.