New westbound lanes opened Wednesday as part of the Interstate-10 widening and improvement project on Tucson’s northwest side, officials said.
The lanes between Orange Grove and Ina roads opened early Wednesday morning, the Arizona Department of Transportation said in a news release.
The lane opening comes as the project to widen and improve the interstate from Ruthrauff to Ina roads hit a milestone: 60 percent completion.
The project will widen that section of I-10 from three to four lanes.
Work on the project began in early 2023, pushing traffic into a detour along the frontage roads.
In the next few months, all of eastbound I-10 traffic will shift from the frontage road detour onto new lanes. And by late 2024, the interchange at Orange Grove Road will reopen, the department news release said.
Work on the $171 million project will continue through 2025.
Meanwhile, work continues on a Sunset Road extension east of I-10 to River Road, with new bridges over the Union Pacific railroad tracks and the Rillito River. The Sunset Road interchange is expected to open in late 2025.
Other improvements include:
- Rebuilding the Orange Grove Road bridges to allow for higher clearance.
- New interchanges at Orange Grove and Sunset roads that will have additional lanes on entrance and exit ramps.
- Replacement of all nine bridges in the project area, including those over Canada del Oro Wash and Rillito River.
- Construction of an access path to the Chuck Huckelberry Loop from Sunset Road.
The I-10 project is part of the Regional Transportation Authority’s roadway improvement plan, that’s managed by the Pima Association of Governments.
Go to azdot.gov/i10ina2ruthrauff for more information about the project.
