Posted April 17, 2015
NAMED PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
The American Public Works Association (APWA) announced the Houghton Road, Irvington Road to Valencia Road Project has been selected as one of the nation's Public Works Projects of the Year for 2015. This prestigious award will be presented Monday, August 31, 2015 at the Phoenix Convention Centre.
"Congratulations to the project team, especially Project Manager M.J. Dillard; this is fantastic for the City of Tucson. We look forward to the next phase of construction on the corridor," said Daryl W. Cole, Director of the City of Tucson Department of Transportation. The project team included PSOMAS, Hunter Contracting, and The Gordley Group.
This segment of Houghton Road is one of nine projects that make up the Houghton Road Corridor. Recommendations for the Houghton Road improvements were based on engineering and environmental considerations as well as public information that was gathered over the development of the project design. Improvements include:
- Upgrading the roadway to a six-lane divided desert parkway
- Improving intersections with dual left turn lanes, exclusive right turn lanes and upgraded traffic signals
- Adding rubberized asphalt for noise mitigation
- Using native landscaping with water harvesting
- Improving multi-modal access by adding bike lanes on and off the roadway, improving and adding sidewalks and multi-use paths, including bus pullouts and transit options
- Upgrading drainage and adding all-weather crossings
- Providing landscaping that enhances the scenic corridor, utilizes water harvesting and incorporates native plants
- Implementing wildlife-sensitive design features
- Displaying Public Art
The improvements to Houghton Road were made possible by the voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Plan. The project began construction in October 2012 and was completed on time and under budget. Funding was made possible through the City of Tucson, Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Pima County.