By Jay Taylor | Your Valley
Transportation issues are a constant topic of conversation. In 2021, the city made big strides toward long-term solutions for some of those issues. And while those solutions may be years away, they provide hope for managing traffic in town and better connecting the city to the Valley.
Ring Road
Both the Sonoran Desert Parkway, formerly known as the East-West Corridor, and Green Road overpass are part of a larger project initially introduced by city manager Rick Horst at the city’s 2020 planning meeting — a “Ring Road” around the city.
The proposed loop would allow residents of outer-lying communities to get to and from their homes — and the Valley — without having to drive through the middle of Maricopa.
Horst said the ring road will provide easier access to businesses that will begin to migrate away from the John Wayne Parkway corridor as the city grows and more homes are built farther from the city center. He said the road, which is slated to follow the Green Road alignment on the west side of town, will tie into McDavid Road.