PHOENIX — With six public meetings scheduled in June and an opportunity for the public to contribute in other ways, Arizonans can help shape the next step in planning for the proposed Interstate 11 as the Arizona Department of Transportation moves ahead on a three-year environmental study for a corridor stretching from Nogales to Wickenburg.

Planned as much more than a highway, I-11 is envisioned as a multimodal corridor connecting Arizona with regional and international markets while opening up new opportunities for mobility, trade, job growth and economic competitiveness.

ADOT has opened a 45-day comment period allowing Arizonans to provide input on the I-11 study area, a process known as public scoping. It’s an opportunity to ask questions and share comments about topics such as potential locations for the I-11 corridor, environmental considerations, impact on wildlife habitats or cultural resources, and possible opportunities for other transportation modes, such as rail, that may be considered.

“The progress on the Interstate 11 study shows ADOT’s commitment to establish a key border-to-border corridor and a trade route with Mexico that will continue our state’s efforts to boost commerce, job growth and economic development,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “We have the support of partner agencies throughout the study corridor who realize the benefits that I-11 can bring in terms of competitiveness, regional and global connections, and business opportunities through this new freight and travel route.”

The recommended I-11 corridor would likely follow US 93 from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge south to Wickenburg. The 280-mile corridor that is the focus of the current environmental study begins in Wickenburg and runs west of the Phoenix metropolitan area and then south to the Tucson area and then Nogales.

Publishing a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act, kicks off the formal environmental study process, as ADOT works to prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement to select an I-11 corridor alternative between Nogales and Wickenburg.

Six public meetings are scheduled in the study area:

Wednesday, June 8
Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center – Dining Room
405 E. Sixth St.
Casa Grande

Wednesday, June 15
Buckeye Community Center – Multipurpose Room
201 E. Centre Ave.
Buckeye

Tuesday, June 21
Nogales High School – Cafeteria
1905 N. Apache Blvd.
Nogales

Wednesday, June 22
Arizona Riverpark Inn
777 W. Cushing St.
Tucson

Thursday, June 23
Marana Middle School – Gymnasium
11285 W. Grier Rd.
Marana

Wednesday, June 29
Wickenburg Community Center
160 N. Valentine St.
Wickenburg

All meetings run from 4 to 6:30 p.m., with presentations beginning at approximately 4:15 p.m. The same information will be presented at each meeting.

Those interested in commenting on the study but are unable to attend a public meeting are encouraged to visit the study website at i11study.com/Arizona and complete an online survey. All feedback, questions and comments will be considered part of the study, are entered into the project record and will help shape the proposed I-11 corridor.

In March, ADOT, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, launched the three-year study. Until now, a process called pre-scoping has included meetings with federal, state and local governments, resource agencies and planning organizations within the study corridor.

The first step in the study is developing an Alternatives Selection Report to assess a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints. A Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent improvements or projects. There will be a no-build alterative as well.

Input from the public, communities and other stakeholders will contribute to these two reports, as well as a Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that will list a selected corridor alternative.

In November 2014, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation completed a two-year feasibility study as the first step in the Interstate 11 process. In December 2015, Congress formally designated Interstate 11 from north to south in Arizona through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. While the designation doesn’t include funding, it does make the corridor eligible for federal funding in the future.

During the next three years, the public, communities and other stakeholders will have opportunities to comment through regular meetings, community events and other forums. Right now, comments can be sent to:

Online survey: i11study.com/Arizona/
Email: I-11ADOTStudy@hdrinc.com
Toll-free bilingual telephone hotline: 1-844-544-8049
Mail:

Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

For more information about the I-11 study, visit i11study.com/Arizona.

PHOENIX — The next phase of defining an Interstate 11 corridor through Arizona offers the public a chance to help shape the vision for a route intended to enhance trade and boost Arizona’s economy.

In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and regional planning agencies, the Arizona Department of Transportation has launched a three-year environmental study to select an I-11 corridor alternative between Nogales and Wickenburg.

Extending from Nogales through the Las Vegas area to northern Nevada – and possibly north toward Canada ­– Interstate 11 would support large-scale manufacturing, enhance movement of people and freight by vehicle and potentially rail, and be a corridor for trade, communications and technology.

A three-year environmental study will consider possible routes between Nogales and Wickenburg. The first step is developing an Alternatives Selection Report assessing a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints. A Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent projects. There will be a no-build alterative as well.

Input from the public, communities and other stakeholders will contribute to these two reports, as well as a Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that will list a selected corridor alternative.

“The Arizona Department of Transportation and our partner agencies and stakeholders have long recognized the importance of the Interstate 11 corridor and the benefits that it will bring to our state through trade, commerce, job growth and economic vitality,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “This congressionally designated high-priority corridor offers the opportunity for Arizona to stay competitive, create regional and global connections, and provide a direct link to success in the global marketplace.”

In November 2014, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation completed a two-year feasibility study as the first step in the Interstate 11 process. ADOT focused on and supported a route through Arizona connecting Nogales and the Hoover Dam bypass bridge near Las Vegas.

In December 2015, Congress approved the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, five-year legislation to improve the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. While the FAST Act formally designates Interstate 11 from north to south in Arizona, it does not include funding. It does, however, make the corridor eligible for federal funding in the future.

The recommended I-11 corridor would likely follow US 93 from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge south to Wickenburg. The 280-mile corridor study area for the current environmental study begins in Wickenburg and runs west of the Phoenix metropolitan area and then south to the Tucson area and then Nogales.

During the next three years, the public, communities and other stakeholders will have opportunities to comment through regular meetings, community events and other forums. Right now, comments can be sent to:

Email: I-11ADOTStudy@hdrinc.com
Toll-free bilingual telephone hotline: 1-844-544-8049
Mail:

Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

For more information about the I-11 study, visit i11study.com/Arizona

PHOENIX — Arizona and Mexico will further their collaboration on developing the key trade corridor connecting them under an agreement signed this week by Arizona Department of Transportation Director John Halikowski and Raul Murrieta Cummings, undersecretary of infrastructure for Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport.

The memorandum of understanding, signed Tuesday in Mexico City, establishes a joint planning committee that will produce a study of ways to improve the corridor along Interstate 19 in Arizona and Highway 15 in Mexico. The primary north-south route in western Mexico and the western United States, the corridor feeds into Arizona’s port of entry system along with Arizona’s and Mexico’s highway systems.

The Arizona portion of the corridor will also serve as part of the anticipated route of Interstate 11, a multimodal transportation corridor from Nogales to the Hoover Dam bypass bridge. From there, I-11 will expand into northern Nevada, potentially reaching as far as Canada.

“Our efforts to strengthen the Arizona-Mexico relationship are already resulting in great success, including the signing of this agreement between ADOT and the Mexican federal Ministry of Communications and Transport,” Governor Doug Ducey said. “These efforts will grow our binational trade and make our freight and trade corridor one of the most competitive in the global market.”

Mexico is Arizona’s largest international trading partner, with $16 billion annually in imports and exports. By working together to invest in transportation infrastructure on both sides of the border, Arizona and Mexico will realize opportunities for connectivity, economic development and job growth.

“This is the culmination of years of building the right relationships and a continuation of Governor Ducey’s commitment to fostering a closer working relationship with Mexico,” Halikowski said. “Governor Ducey has challenged us to think big, to think as a business, and with this study we will push our sphere of influence beyond the border, helping Arizona companies tap into new business opportunities in Mexico. This will also help us position our corridor as a viable, cost-effective alternative to the corridors connecting Mexico to the Texas border.”

Mexico has pledged $100,000 and ADOT $200,000 toward the first phase of the multiyear Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study, which will identify priority transportation projects, solutions to congestion and backups along the Arizona-Mexico border, ideas to make the corridor more efficient for multimodal transportation, and technologies to improve efficiency and reliability. The study will also focus on identifying clusters for job creation and economic development along the entire corridor.

“This one-of-a-kind study will set us apart from the rest and help us market our region throughout the world,” Halikowski said.

ADOT is a member of the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, which includes the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism, along with other partner agencies. The alliance focuses on creating economic development opportunities for Arizona and Mexico through investment in transportation infrastructure, partnerships and strategic planning.

“The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study promises to bring greater understanding of the economic opportunities that exist for our region,” said David Farca, president of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. “In addition, it will help us raise awareness of Arizona’s strategic geographic position in the heart of an economically powerful mega-region that gives us a competitive advantage in the global market and makes Arizona a prime location to do business.”

Over the last few years, ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, along with the U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have invested more than $250 million in improvements at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales ‒ improvements that benefit the overall corridor. Plans are moving forward to improve State Route 189 to enhance the flow of commercial truck traffic and to ensure international commerce can efficiently and safely travel between Arizona and Mexico.

During the meeting preceding the signing ceremony, Halikowski pushed for additional improvements to the Mexican side of Arizona’s ports of entry. Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transport reaffirmed its commitment of $2.2 billion for improvements to the Highway 15 corridor from Mexico City to the Arizona-Mexico border.

This week’s agreement promises to add not only needed infrastructure, but global opportunities.

“Arizona’s relationship with Mexico continues to grow and strengthen thanks to Governor Ducey’s efforts and ambitious trade agenda,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “In 2015 alone, Mexico accounted for more than $9 billion in Arizona exports. Conducting this study is an excellent step in enhancing the competitiveness of the Arizona-Mexico Corridor. Doing so will facilitate increased cross-border trade and advance Arizona’s position in the global economy.”

The Arizona-Mexico Corridor Study is expected to begin later this year. For more information about the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, visit azttca.org.