By Heather Smathers | Maricopa Monitor
Relief may be coming to drivers who commute from Casa Grande and Maricopa to the Valley, even though the solution is years away.
The Maricopa Association of Governments, a regional planning agency for metropolitan Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community announced Wednesday an agreement to study widening Interstate 10 and State Route 347 through the GRIC. The study will “examine potential capacity and other upgrades to Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande,” MAG said in a statement.
The GRIC Tribal Council recently agreed to the study, which is the first step toward potentially widening the interstate to three lanes in both directions. The study will look at whether the current infrastructure can be improved or will need to be replaced. The existing bridge at the traffic interchange on Casa Blanca Road might need replacement, officials said.
“The Gila River Indian Community is very appreciative of MAG for spearheading this effort and we look forward to being part of the team that completes this study,” said Stephen R. Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community, in a statement. “The Community believes this study will help ensure the safety of the Community’s members and residents of the surrounding municipalities as they travel the I-10 corridor, and promote development both on and off the Gila River Indian Reservation.”
