While perhaps not the most romantic Valentineβs Day gift, the new Sunset Road and bridge opened to the public Tuesday afternoon, the day before the two-year closure of the Ina Road-Interstate 10 interchange was slated to start.
Contractor Borderlands Construction is still working on the bridge and roadway, and lower speed limits and other restrictions will likely be in place until the $22.8 million project is completed in late spring.
With Ina Road closed at the interstate, Sunset will provide an alternative means for some northwest Tucson residents to get onto the freeway over the next 25 months. Westbound exiting traffic will be directed to take the Sunset exit, instead of the Orange Grove exit farther north, which will be closed over the same period.
The westbound frontage road between Sunset and Orange Grove roads will remain open, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The Sunset Road bridge over the Santa Cruz River was destroyed by heavy flooding in 1983.
