The Arizona Republic
The ultimate study of the most studied freeway project in Arizona history is complete.
And while it doesn’t necessarily move the South Mountain Freeway any closer to reality, it provides a solid rationale for why it should be built.
After 12 years and $21 million, the draft environmental impact statement on the proposed 22-mile traffic-reliever for Interstate 10 found, as expected, the roadway would greatly enhance the free flow of vehicle traffic through the urban Valley. It also concluded that because cars and trucks release far fewer pollutants when they’re not ensnarled in traffic jams, the freeway loop would improve Valley air quality.
Based on those findings, the exhaustive study prepared by the Arizona Department of Transportation concluded that the last major portion of the Valley’s planned freeway system should be built. We heartily concur.
Released last week, the epic analysis tells us definitively that the worst course action is to take no action. “No build” simply is not an option.
