The equipment is in place, the plans finalized and work is ready to begin: The first stage of the expansion of Hunt Highway is underway.
Eventually, Hunt Highway will be expanded from two lanes to five lanes from Empire Boulevard to Franklin Road — a 12-mile corridor from the Maricopa County line to the Florence town limits. The entire project is expected to cost in the area of $75 million.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Interim County Manager Greg Stanley. “Three different area supervisors worked on this project in various stages. But the reason why it took so long to start is money, or lack of it.”
In the fall of 2007, a Civil Design Consultant was hired to complete what was to become Phase I of the Hunt Highway expansion. They also were tasked to evaluate the entire 12-mile corridor. By the fall of 2008, the plans were nearly complete and the cost of Phase I was estimated at $15 million.
