The Federal Railroad Administration approved the 鈥淐orridor Identification and Development Program,鈥 the Arizona Department of Transportation said. It would bring passenger rail service between 大象APPand Phoenix. The submitted proposal includes a project scope, schedule and budget for preparing a development plan 鈥渢hat will outline key elements鈥 to establish the service, the department said in a news release.
A federal grant in the next few weeks will allow ADOT to develop a more detailed plan, the department said.
Work on the service develop plan can begin 鈥渁fter approval of a federal grant, which is expected in the coming weeks,鈥 ADOT said.
Eastbound traffic moves along on Interstate 10 at the Benson Highway/Park Avenue exit. Reconstruction of the I-10 interchange there is set to begin in the 2027-28 fiscal year.
Gov. Katie Hobbs said the passenger rail project is not just for convenience, 鈥渋t鈥檚 about building a stronger, more connected Arizona.鈥
鈥淭his is a big step forward for Arizona,鈥 Hobbs said in a news release. 鈥淚 am committed to creating a bright transportation future for our state that fosters economic growth, creates jobs and expands transit opportunities for working people and families.鈥
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Drivers on northbound South Park Avenue at Interstate maneuver into the intersection with I-10.
The development plan is expected to take up to three years to complete.
ADOT said the rail plan will identify the number of stations along the Tucson-to-Phoenix route and their locations, figure out what infrastructure work will be needed and 鈥渆stimate capital and maintenance costs,鈥 develop a forecast for ridership, revenues and the travel time, as well as determining the timeline for phasing in service.
The proposed corridor for the rail service that was selected in late 2023 extends approximately 160 miles between 大象APPand Buckeye.
Completing the service development plan is budgeted at $10.6 million, and the Corridor Identification Program was jump-started by a $500,000 federal grant, ADOT said.
Drivers on southbound Kino Parkway are squeezed down to one lane at the intersection with Interstate 10. Three years of construction to widen the interstate between Kino and South Country Club Road began Wednesday.
After the development plan is completed, the final step will be an engineering and environmental study that is expected to take up to three years and would help be funded by a federal grant that requires a 20% state match, ADOT said.
鈥淲e see passenger rail connecting the Phoenix and 大象APPareas as an important addition to transportation options for Arizona,鈥 said ADOT Director Jennifer Toth. 鈥淚t holds the promise of more economic growth and employment while enhancing mobility for rural areas and families in communities between Phoenix and Tucson.鈥
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5 years of 大象APPinterstate upgrades set
A five-year construction program that includes multiple ADOT projects in the 大象APParea, including one started Wednesday, was approved this month by the state transportation board.
鈥 The Interstate 10 widening project between South Park Avenue and South Alvernon Way, which will widen the interstate to three lanes in each direction between South Kino Parkway and Alvernon, and to four lanes in each direction west of Kino to just east of South Park Avenue, began Wednesday, ADOT spokesman Steve Elliot said Thursday.
The $600 million project is set to take three years and has been called the 鈥渓argest highway construction project in Southern Arizona history,鈥 as previously reported. It鈥檚 one of five Pima County projects within ADOT鈥檚 five-year, $11.5 billion statewide Transportation Facilities Construction Program that the state transportation board approved June 20.
鈥 The reconstruction of the Interstate 19-West Irvington Road interchange, which was originally set to begin late this year but was pushed back, is now set to start in January 2026. The project includes building a partial cloverleaf ramp for traffic on eastbound Irvington to get onto northbound I-19, widening the existing on-ramps, new traffic signals, light and signage, as well as bicycle and safety improvements on both sides of Irvington.
ADOT officials have said the project will take about 18 months to complete and cost an estimated $55 million, the Star has reported.
鈥 I-10 improvements from South Alvernon Way to East Valencia Road are set to start in fiscal year 2027-2028, ADOT said. This is in addition to the widening project ADOT started this month, which includes building a new entrance ramp at South Alvernon Way for westbound I-10.
鈥 Reconstruction of the I-10 interchange at South Park Avenue also is set to begin in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
鈥 The South Sixth Avenue-Interstate 10 interchange will be reconstructed in the 2028-2029 fiscal year, ADOT said.
Report: Proposed 大象APPdata centers would guzzle water, eat power
