Yuma News Now

Yuma, Arizona - The City of Yuma Arizona has issued the following current and future road construction report dated June 5, 2008.

Current Projects:

32nd Street between Avenue C and Avenue D - The 32nd Street closure to through traffic between avenues C and D has been extended.  A trench is open at the site of the Pinto Way sanitary sewer line project to allow contractors to correct a leaking manhole.  Reopening is currently estimated to take place by next Friday, June 13th. Drivers are asked to detour using 24th Street or 40th Street.  Although local traffic may travel east of Avenue D, this is for access to immediate neighborhoods and Crane Middle School only.  There is no detour available through the Rancho Verde neighborhood.  Motorists are asked to respect the residents of surrounding neighborhoods and to use the suggested detour route.

Avenue A and Palmcroft Drive - Work is under way on the intersection of Avenue A and Palmcroft Drive.  Workers will be improving that intersection including relocating Palmcroft Drive and the KOFA High School entrance on Avenue A, construction of a southbound right turn lane, and installation of a new traffic signal.As part of this project, work will be done on the parking lot of Smucker Park that will necessitate a partial closure of the popular walking path.  Walkers can still use most of the trail but will not be able to complete a full circle around the track.  Once the intersection and parking lot are finished a new walking path will be built.  The City appreciates the patience and understanding of walkers and park users.

Villa Hermosa water line and street reconstruction project - The Villa Hermosa Subdivision No. 2 street reconstruction project is under way in the area bounded by Avenue B, 22nd Street, Thacker Canal and 20th Street.  Work scheduled to be done in this area includes:  Placing various sizes of water lines; valves; fire hydrants; removal and replacement of curb and gutter, sidewalk, driveways, and concrete valley gutter; sidewalk ramps; pavement removal and replacement; street lighting and miscellaneous construction.  Anticipated completion time frame is November 2008.

Currently, 27th Avenue between 21st Lane and 22nd Street will be closed off and on for 1-2 days at a time between now and June 19 for street reconstruction.  Motorists seeking access to residences along 22nd Street should use 25th Drive or Avenue B to detour.

24th Street widening between Avenue 6E and Avenue 9E - Slowdowns and turn restrictions remain likely in this area as a result of this major road widening and construction project. Additions to the original contract for this project have resulted from conflicts with utilities; removal and replacement of manholes and water service locations; the addition of a water line along Avenue 7E (both design and construction); the adjustment of fencing due to grade differences and finalization of right of entry documentation.  The project’s estimated completion date is now October 31, 2008.

Araby Road and 32nd Street - ADOT project - The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) continues construction on the new State Route 195, also known as the Area Service Highway. Araby Road traffic will be restricted to the new pavement on the west side of the roadway with one lane in each direction. 32nd Street traffic has been reduced to one lane in each direction at this intersection as well. - The next phase will widen the intersection of County 14th Street at Avenue 6-1/2E and construct a new roadway northward on the alignment of Araby Road for two miles to 40th Street. Once this work is completed, SR 195 will be open to traffic from County 14th Street to Interstate 8.  A separate segment will be constructed along County 23rd Street from Avenue E-1/2 to Avenue B and along the Barry M. Goldwater Range.  The entire project is scheduled for completion in September 2009.

Neighborhood street reconstruction, 5th-A avenues and 17th-19th streets - Neighborhood water line and pavement replacement is under way in the “avenues” area bounded by 16th Street, 4th Avenue, 19th Street and Avenue A.  Some sidewalks and select deteriorating driveways will be replaced also.  Expected completion of this project is June 2008. Residents should be directly receiving advance notice of dates when their street will be impacted.  Major street reconstruction phase is under way.

40th Street between 4th Avenue and Arizona Avenue - 40th Street is scheduled to be closed between 4th Avenue and Arizona Avenue through June 14.

45th Avenue south of 18th Street - Trench work will cause narrow lanes on 45th Avenue south of 18th Street.  The parking lot at Chicanos Por La Causa will be reduced to one entrance.  Work in this area is scheduled through June 18th.

21st Drive north of 32nd Street - Work on the new main Yuma Library will result in 21st Drive being reduced to a single lane of traffic between 32nd Street and 28th Street.  Flagmen will assist traffic.

Avenue A power pole consolidation - APS project - Arizona Public Service is consolidating power poles along Avenue A between 15th Street and just south of 24th Street.  Instead of having poles on both sides of the avenue, power poles will be removed from the west side of the avenue and new, taller steel poles are being installed on the east side that will hold both sets of lines.  This will not only prepare for the widening of Avenue A scheduled for this year, but will also reduce the number of poles along the avenue. Currently, most of the work being done involves load transfers, so overall impact to traffic is minimal.  Drivers are asked to be aware of the possibility of work crews  and proceed cautiously around them.  APS is also working with other utilities with a presence in the area.  Current expected completion date is end of July.

1st Avenue north of 16th Street - Modifications to the Yuma Police Department building at 1500 South 1st Avenue may require intermittent partial closures along southbound 1st Avenue.  The building project will continue through August 2008.

Traveler Advisory - U.S. 95 south of Quartzsite - ADOT will be replacing a box culvert on U.S. 95 approximately 29 miles south of Quartzsite beginning Monday, June 9th.  Travel in this area will be reduced to one lane of traffic, assisted by flagmen, DPS officers and barrier walls, for approximately 20 days.  Work will proceed on a 24-hour basis until the culvert is replaced.  With additional work to stabilize the wash, the overall project will continue into mid-July.

Upcoming projects: Additional projects that will impact motorists’ ability to navigate various parts of the city in the first quarter of 2008 include the following:

16th Street widening between Arizona and Yuma Palms Parkway - This project will include widening 16th Street east from Arizona Avenue to Yuma Palms Parkway, including the Interstate 8 interchange and bridges over I-8 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.  A multi-jurisdictional project, it is hoped that design phase will be complete in 2008, with construction to start possibly in early 2009.

Avenue 3E widening between I-8 and 32nd Street - The City hopes to begin the first phase of a two-phase reconstruction of Avenue 3E by late this summer.  In the meantime, minor maintenance work, such as pothole repair, may take place.

Plans currently being finalized call for Avenue 3E to expand to 5 lanes of traffic between 24th Street and 32nd Street (phase 1) and 7 lanes of traffic north of 24th Street (phase 2). As this is a multi-jurisdictional project, plans need to be reviewed and approved by other agencies, such as Arizona Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Union Pacific Railroad.

The City of Yuma appreciates the patience and understanding of the motoring public and all residents affected by infrastructure improvement projects. For information and assistance about how your business or residence might be affected by city construction projects, contact Greg Hyland, CPM, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at (928) 373-5023, or (928) 580-4751.