MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - An overpass at I-10 and Ina gets approval to help drivers avoid traffic problem at a railroad crossing. In the fall, ADOT will begin construction on an overpass taking Ina traffic over both I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad.
Tuesday, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved the grade separation of Ina road and the railroad tracks. The ADOT project is intended to eliminate vehicle conflicts with the Union Pacific Railroad's east-west main line tracks.
Trains pass that crossing 48 times per day which delays drivers. ADOT says backups during train crossings can extend onto the freeway. The number of trains that will use that crossing is expected to increase over the next few years.
The $7.4 million dollar overpass is expected to begin construction in the fall. It is part of a larger $120 million dollar project improving I-10 from Prince to Ruthraff.
Ina will have three lanes in each direction at the overpass, including entrances and exits to I-10, sidewalks, and bike paths. It will also go Camino de Oeste and the Union Pacific rail road tracks. I-10 will move to ground level and be widened to four lanes in each direction. The overpass will extend from the Denny's on the west side of the freeway to the Donut Wheel on the east side. The final design has not yet been released.
Ina road is expected to be closed for much of the construction which is expected to last two years.
There are a handful of business on Ina road that will affected by construction.
Sophia Padilla manages the Donut Wheel, she says they expect the construction to decrease business but hope loyal customers will continue to come for the donuts.
"They like our products and that's why we've been open for so long," said Padilla.
The Ina project is very similar to overpass at Prince road which goes over I-10 and the railroad.
Ina Vassious owns Old Times Kafe which is on Prince road west of I-10. She says nearby by businesses had to close down while hers struggled during construction.
"Less customers and it was too hard to get to here, so some of our regular customers just didn't bother because it was too much trouble," said Vassious.
She says since the Prince road overpass opened, business has picked up and they have done even better than before the construction.
For information on the Ina road project go to here.
