en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has launched a roughly $1 billion upgrade plan to renovate key sections of Interstate 10 (I-10) between Phoenix and Tucson, addressing long-standing congestion and safety issues.

This 26-mile stretch, known as the "Wild Horse Pass Corridor," is located within the Gila River Indian Community, extending from Loop 202 Santan/South Mountain Freeway in Phoenix to north of Casa Grande. For the northern 12-mile segment, ADOT selected a design-build team comprising Coffman Specialties and Fisher Sand & Gravel, with Stantec Consulting Services as the lead designer. According to Stantec, the $410 million, nearly four-year project includes adding travel lanes and HOV lanes (high-occupancy vehicle lanes), and replacing the entire existing asphalt pavement with new concrete pavement that has a 30-year service life, at a cost nearly equivalent to new asphalt pavement.

The first project in ADOT's upgrade plan will be completed this summer: replacing two bridges spanning the Gila River. The agency stated that built by Pulice Construction since May 2024, these two $71.2 million bridges feature deeper foundations and higher elevations to achieve more resilient river crossings. Earlier this year, FNF Construction began upgrading the southernmost 10-mile segment, designed by Point Engineers and Kimley-Horn, with completion expected within two years. ADOT has yet to select a design and construction team for the final 3-mile stretch between the Gila River and Gas Pipeline Road, which is scheduled to begin later this year.

HDR serves as the project manager and general engineering consultant for the entire corridor upgrade plan, which is slated for completion in 2029.