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ADOT Short On Funds For Next Part of I-11 Study

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and ADOT Director John Halikowski at a March 21 event unveiling the new signs.
(Photo courtesy of Arizona Department of Transportation)
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and ADOT Director John Halikowski at a March 21 event unveiling the new signs.

ADOT is starting the next part of an extensive study on a proposed freeway that would connect Phoenix and Las Vegas, but the agency is short on money for the research project.

Arizona and Nevada’s Transportation Departments are working together on feasibility studies for the I-11 corridor. It could eventually connect Mexico to Canada and supporters say the corridor will lead to increased trade between the three countries.

ADOT’s Laura Douglas said the public comment period is wrapping up soon and now the focus is on a massive and expensive environmental study.

"This environmental impact statement is about $60 million and that’s currently money that we do not have," Douglas said. "So we’ve already started the conversation about how to fund this particular step and that’s a matter of talking with both our federal partners and our state partners.”

Douglas estimated the construction cost could reach $13 billion. She said it’s still in the early planning stages but the new highway will probably run near the existing U.S. Route 93 between Wickenburg and Hoover Dam. 

 

Steve Shadley was a reporter at KJZZ from 1990 to 1996 and from 2012 to 2015.